When The Pain Dies Down
Chapter 1
"Jake slow down. We will never make it to La Push in one piece
if you don't slow down."
"Nessie let me drive please." Jake grumbled.
Reneesmee quirked an eyebrow at her husband of 21
years, "I can still hear you when you talk under your breath mister."
Lacey stifled a giggle as she continued to stare out the window in the back
seat of the Chevy Trail Blazer. She was getting hungry and knew she'd need to
eat or hunt soon.
Jake rolled his eyes. He loved his wife, but knew her heightened half
vampire/half human senses were super powerful and tended to irritate him a
little when he was overly excited. He hadn't seen anyone in the pack since
they'd moved away 20 years ago when she was pregnant with their twins, Lacey
and Luca. The twins were complete opposites. Lacey immediately having the same
'gifts' as her mother. She had the ability to transmit thoughts to others by
just touching their skin. Luca, well he had recently phased into a rather large
gangly looking wolf.
Which was the whole reason for the move back to La Push. They were meeting up
with their pack family to teach Luca the ways of the tribe. A few years back
Lacey's mom had a falling out with her own parents Bella and Edward Cullen and
they hadn't seen them since. But the kids were still seeing their great aunts
and uncles, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett, plus their great-grand parents
Esme and Carlisle Cullen. Great granny Rene still lived in Florida and Great
grand-dad Charlie had actually passed a few months prior to the move. Grandpa
Billy had passed a few years ago. As well as Jake's mom having passed when he
was still a boy.
The twins were 20 but soon to be 21.
Lacey looked at her parents, naturally they were holding hands on the middle
arm rest as she gagged and made a face when her mother leaned over and kissed
her dad's temple lovingly. Even after twenty-one years, her mom still looked
seventeen and her dad still looked twenty. People had the hardest time
believing that two people who looked as young as them had twin twenty year
olds. Their dad continued to keep phasing because he didn't want to age and
look like a dirty old man, because their mother stopped aging at seventeen.
Jake looked back at Lacey and smiled, "You excited about the move
sweetheart?" Lacey shrugged, "It's cool because we get to see where
you and mom grew up and we also get to see Uncle Quil and Uncle Embry."
Jake chuckled, "Yea we haven't seen them in a couple of years, I guess the
threat got pretty bad and they've all been pulling double and triple
shifts." Lace smiled, "I miss Uncle Quil and Uncle Embry, plus they
tell the best stories about when you guys were just boys."
Jake made a face as Reneesmee giggled, "Stop it!
Your face is going to freeze like that...Why are you making that face
anyways?" Jake grumbled, "I wish they would stop telling them
stories." Nessie squeezed his hand, "Calm down...Those stories are a
part of your history and the kids love them."
Lacey leaned between the front seats, “Hey dad I’m kind of…hungry.” Jake looked
at his daughter and knew what she was in dire need of. Jake pulled over on the
side of the road, “Luca go with your sister.” Luca tugged his t-shirt over his
head, “Sure dad. I’ll follow your scent to Emily and Sam’s.”
Lacey and Luca were running through the trees at top speeds. Since their dad
had dropped them off on the side of the road so Lacey could hunt since she was
getting hungry and Luca said he’d follow their parents scent
to Sam and Emily’s. Luca also stood guard as his sister ate. She could drink
blood and eat human food, but like their mother she craved blood or raw meat.
Their father was a shape shifter and their mother a vampire hybrid (half
vampire/half human).
Jake and Reneesmee weren’t sure how they ended up
with a shape shifter son and a hybrid daughter because they were twins. Somehow
Luca had gotten their fathers brown eyes, but Lacey had a combination of amber
and brown which made for an interesting burnt orange eye color. Luca always
said it looked like the sun was setting in her eyes. They came from the trees
and skidded to stop outside of Sam and Emily’s home.
Luca phased back into human and pulled shorts and a t-shirt on. Luca flipped
Lacey over his shoulder and carried her piggyback style around to the backyard
knowing that was where everyone was meeting. The twins had been living with
their parents in Alaska since birth and they came back because Luca phased.
Jake was busy talking to Renesmee about something when he sensed his children
from behind, slowly turning his head over his shoulder with a smile. He felt
blessed to have a family, especially with his beautiful wife being a hybrid
vampire – half vampire and half human. At one point, Jake had thought he was in
love with Bella Swan, who was now Bella Cullen and married to Edward Cullen,
both of them vampires. They ended up conceiving Renesmee on their honeymoon and
when Jake went to visit Bella, he found out what happened and stood beside her.
It wasn’t easy by any means because he still thought he was deeply in love with
her and wanted to imprint on her in the worst way. Edward had asked permission
to change Bella into a vampire because the baby was killing her, having the
strength of a vampire, breaking her bones and damaging her internally. When the
baby was born, which Jake thought he hated for destroying the woman he loved
and slowly killed her, his eyes locked on the beautiful baby girl and instantly
the imprinting commenced. Jake never loved anyone as much as his wife and never
would; she was his everything just as she was his Nessie.
Lacey’s jet black wavy hair bounced as Luca hopped around, she had a grip on
his neck hoping he wouldn’t drop her but knew he wouldn’t. Luca finally
squatted down and let Lacey stand on her bare feet. She drug a hand through her
hair as she walked over and stood next to her dad who kissed the top of her
head. A noise behind them made Lacey spin around as a huge smile adorned her
face, “Uncle Embry! Uncle Quil!” She squealed as she ran over and Embry scooped
her up and swung her in circles. A tap on Embry’s shoulder brought him to a
stop as he released Lacey as she turned and Uncle Quil was the next to hug her.
“Goddamn kiddo, you get big every time we see you!” Quil grinned, not believing
how beautiful and rapidly growing his niece was, glancing over at Jake somewhat
worriedly. He knew Lacey was probably done growing and aging, that’s how it
happened with Renesmee, though she stopped at the age of seventeen. Lacey was
now twenty years old or something like that, Quil couldn’t fully remember. “You
look beautiful as always. Aunt Kim, Aunt Leah and Aunt Claire Bear will be
along shortly.” Even after all this time, Quil couldn’t stop calling his
imprint that, having done so when she was two.
“That would be Quil sucking up as always.” Embry slugged him on the shoulder
and pulled Lacey back into his arms, kissing the top of her head.
Lacey giggled at her uncles. They’d been to Alaska
numerous times to see her dad and mom and her and her brother. A string of curse
words came from the tree line as everyone turned, Lacey already knew it was
going to be Paul, he was a volatile pack member, and his temper often forced
him into wolf form. She remembered seeing him in a picture once and her dad
explained who he was.
Lacey couldn’t help but giggle as he continued to cuss and pull leaves and
small twigs out of his hair. All giggling stopped as nearly blackened eyes
peered into her burnt orange. Lacey let out a gasp as her hand went over her
mouth and she felt Luca grab her. Her eyes were wide as she was suddenly aware
she wasn’t looking at Paul; but Paul’s son. Paul Redson
Jr. He looked exactly like his dad when he dad was 21. A perfect mirror image.
The magnetic feeling shot through Paul Redson Jr. as
he stared back at Jacob’s daughter, Lacey, watching as her twin brother, Luca,
hold her steady. It was the most forceful yet divine gravitational feeling and
spread throughout every part of his body. This hybrid vampire had forced his
feet to glue to the ground, Paul knew exactly what just happened and felt his
eyes narrow to slits.
How the hell could he imprint on a BLOODSUCKER?
Chapter 2
“Jr, what’s wrong?” Leah instantly asked,
backing away when Paul Jr glared at her with a deadly
look in his blackened eyes. “Oookay…” Suddenly Embry
looked very comforting and she felt his arms wrap around her protectively.
“I know I just got here, but I need to leave.” Jr
stared a hole through Jacob and felt his mouth go dry at the anger shining in
the alpha’s eyes. They clearly said one thing: Stay away from my daughter or
you will be ripped to shreds.
Lacey paled noticeably, actually paler if it was possible. She watched as Paul
Jr. turned and went back into the tree line. She touched Luca’s hands, “I’m
okay.” She knew what imprinting was and was suddenly aware that Paul’s son had
just imprinted on her. It was nice to know she was someone’s soul mate, but the
filthy look that Paul Jr. had on his face before he left was enough of a
response to know he was not the happiest camper having just imprinted on a
hybrid vampire. She could feel every emotion he was feeling. The strongest
being anger. She felt very low. Like suddenly being a hybrid vampire was the
worst thing in the world. She felt a warm hand on her arm as she looked up at
her father, “I’m…uh…I’m gonna go for a run.” Before anyone could really respond
she took off the opposite direction of Paul Jr.
Luca shook his head, “Don’t worry mom and dad, I’ll go with her.”
Everyone watched as the twins took off out into the forest.
A few minutes later Paul Senior walked into the backyard with his imprint/wife
Gaby. Paul looked up as he noticed everyone had the same befuddled look on
their face. “What the hell is going on with all of you?”
Jared walked over as he looked down at the ground for a second and then back up
to his best friends face. “Bro. It’s Jr. He imprinted.”
Paul grinned. “Really? How is he? Is he okay with it?”
“No. He’s definitely not okay with it.” Jared shook his head negatively.
Gaby cocked her head to the side as she felt Paul’s arm tighten around her
waist. “What aren’t you telling us Jared?”
Jared cringed. “Jr. imprinted on Jacob’s daughter Lacey.”
Paul cocked his head mimicking his wife's expression. "Lacey?
Jr. was more than pissed off, he was absolutely livid and wanted to tear
something apart. He found a nearby deer, knowing it was the Cullen’s food, and
began devouring it with his teeth, the raw animalistic behavior coming out full
throttle. He imagined it was Lacey Black with her orange eyes and pale
skin…with a beating heart. Her heart did move with life, but still she was a
bloodsucking monster. Jr. growled when the animal was completely ripped apart,
blood splattered all over his muzzle and the front of the white patch of fur on
his chest and also matting in the rest of his dark silver fur. He licked his
lips and suddenly dug his paws into the earth before letting out an ear
piercing howl that echoed throughout the night.
“LACEY STOP!”
Lacey stopped and looked back at her twin Luca as the frown marred her
flawlessly beautiful face, “What am I going to do Luca? Did you see the look he
gave me? He looked like he wanted to shred me.”
Luca walked closer to his twin as he touched her arm. She looked sad and scared
at the same time. Like she’d seen a thousand deaths in her lifetime. Or in her
case felt them. She could feel emotions like it was no body’s business. When
she would kill deer, she could do a releasing prayer to release the soul of the
animal to heaven and wouldn’t eat it until it was fully dead. No one hated what
she was more than she did. Sometimes she forced herself to eat human food just
so she wouldn’t have to eat animals. “What did it feel like Lace?”
“Like a million little shocks, you know like when you drag your sneaker covered
feet along the carpet and shock me on purpose.” She watched her twin chuckle as
she continued to frown, “I’m scared Luca. I’m so scared.”
Nothing scared his sister, absolutely nothing. It was the first time he’d ever
seen her cry as he pulled her into his arms and held her tight, “It’ll be okay
Lace. I promise. Mom and dad will know what to do.”
Jacob had followed his children into the woods and phased back, immediately
slipping on a pair of black jean shorts, his heart breaking at Lacey’s tears.
He was going to kill Paul Jr. for imprinting on his little girl, even though
she wasn’t little anymore and he knew imprinting wasn’t by choice. He sighed
and walked over to where Luca held Lacey tightly, immediately pulling her into
his warm embrace, kissing the top of her head. “He’ll stay away from you,
Lacey.” Jacob promised, hearing her sniffle against his chest, closing his eyes
painfully. “I swear he won’t hurt you. You don’t have to go with the imprint,
remember that. You can always ignore it because I’m going to be honest with
you, I know Paul and if his son is anything like him than he’s going to do
everything in his power to ignore it.” His little girl was going to be hurt by
one of his pack brothers kids and Jacob hated it and
also knew he couldn't do anything about it.
Lacey sniffled as she looked up, “I’m okay dad honest. I guess it was just a
bit of a shock. I want to walk a little more, take Luca with you back to the
house please. I just want to be alone for a while.” Her dad looked at her
hesitantly; he knew she worked things out better in her head when she was
alone.
Luca grumbled, “I’m not leaving you out here alone Lacey…Especially not with
that half-crazy ass wolf who imprinted on you running around out here somewhere…Are
you nuts? If he comes after you and hurts you, not only will it cause dad to
fight one of his pack brothers kids, but then I’ll get into it as well and I’m
not trying to get my ass handed to me by him…did you see how big he was? I can
only imagine how big he is in wolf form. Screw that.”
“Luca is right, Lacey.” Jacob stated, watching the anger shine in her eyes and
immediately held his hand up. “Don’t argue with me, I refuse to leave you out
here alone. Luca, take her back to the party.” Jacob was going to phase and
find Paul, wanting to know what the hell was going on in the man’s mind. “Now.”
He watched as Luca nodded and guided a very reluctant Lacey back to the house
where Renesmee was waiting on them.
Jacob waited until his children were out of the woods before peeling his
clothes off and phased back into the russet colored wolf, going full speed
through the woods.
Lacey and Luca walked out of the trees and a painful howl echoed through the
forest and made Lacey shiver. Luca looked at his twin. "That was Jr wasn't it?" Lacey just nodded as they walked around
to the backyard.
Renesmee watched as her children walked back into the backyard as Lacey went to
her mom who hugged her tight, “C’mon sweetheart let’s go talk inside. Emily
said we could use her guest room.” Lacey nodded as she followed her mom inside
and into a random bedroom. “Are you okay sweetie?”
Lacey nodded, “What am I going to do mom?”
Renesmee smiled softly, “I know your father is probably opposed to the
imprinting, but I am not. When you father imprinted on me it brought a life
time of love, which I couldn’t have possibly gotten from anyone but my true
soul mate. Now you can do as I’m sure your father has said and ignore it. But
it won’t be without great difficult. Once you’ve been imprinted on you will
never love anyone as much as you do him. I know you don’t know him, but I’m
sure you can feel him. Probably more now that the imprinting has happened. Jr has always been much like his father; the volatile one
in the pack and he despises vampires…But he also knows he cannot ignore it for
long. It won’t let him. He will have to deal with it eventually, he would not
have imprinted on you if you two were not meant to be. I had hoped you’d get
imprinted on, because I want you to feel true love with your soul mate not
someone who believes they are. For obvious reasons I did not tell your father
my wishes. Do not be afraid of Jr, he cannot hurt
you. He may want to but he will only feel that way until he accepts the
imprint.”
She watched as her daughter nodded and went back outside with everyone.
Chapter 3
Paul senior jumped out of the thick of brush as he stopped Jacob in
his tracks.
'Paul, Jr. needs to talk to me right now about this.’ Jacob ordered in his
head, using the alpha voice.
‘Leave my son alone, Jake. Not now. He just barely imprinted it's new to him.
You know it's going to take some time.’ Paul growled, not amused that he
couldn’t deny Jacob anything when he used the alpha voice. ‘He doesn’t have to
talk about this right now and I'm not making him. Jr. has a mind of his own. If
he wants to ignore the imprint then he's allowed to.’
‘I can stay out here all night Paul and you know it.’
‘Jake, I’m warning you right now. I don’t care if you are the alpha; you need
to leave my son alone right now. He'll stay away from your bloodsucking
daughter.’ Paul growled and ignored Jacob’s growl in his head, which was much
louder than Paul’s because of the alpha. He whined out a little, wanting to be
left alone, was that so hard to understand?
‘Do NOT call my daughter that, Paul Redson. She is my
flesh and blood, she is the best thing, besides Nessie, that’s happened to me.
I love my family, your son needs to get over his stubbornness, something he
clearly inherited from you and realize he's going to hurt himself and Lacey by
ignoring the imprinting. You know what though? I honestly don’t care if he does
ignore it. The only thing I care about is my little girl being hurt and I
already know it’s gonna happen because of his stubborn ass! So tell him to do
the right thing and either walk away or deal with the fuckin’ imprint! But
don’t you EVER let me hear you call her a bloodsucker again because she’s not!
She may feast on blood, but her heart also beats just as strongly as Nessie’s, Paul. She’s a hybrid, she’s not fully vampire and
even if she was, I’d love her just as much if not more. Her and Luca are my
life, get it through your damn head!’
‘Just go away and leave him alone right now, Jacob.’
Jr. heard the whole conversation his dad and Jacob had and just seriously felt
like diving off a cliff and never returning again, even though he knew the wolf
gene would prevent him from dying. That’s what he felt like doing right now was
dying a slow and painful death. He’d rather have a thousand bloodsuckers feast
on him at that moment instead of imprinting on a vampire hybrid that was the
alpha’s daughter.
Once Jr. ripped apart four other animals, he finally went to the cliffs and
stared out into the night, the waves crashing against the rocks easing his
mind. He didn’t turn back into human, knowing that would be pointless because
his temper had skyrocketed considerably. He sighed heavily and finally plopped
down on the grass, allowing the scent to surround him and closed his eyes. The
golden eyes of Lacey full of fear and surprise entered his mind and Jr. snapped
them open, letting out another ear piercing howl. He knew it was the imprint,
but Jr. refused to acknowledge it.
Paul walked out onto the porch of the same home he'd shared with his family for
the last 25 years. Paul watched as his son had phased back and pulled his
shorts on. His son looked exactly like he did. The same volatile temper, same
blackened eyes, though Jr. had almost out grown Paul himself. He saw Jr's hands balled into fists as he walked up to the porch.
"Talk to me son."
"Dad this is so weird. I don't know if I want to be pissed off or excited.
I waited since the day I phased to imprint and when I finally do it's on a god
damn bloodsucker."
"Listen Jr. What you do is your decision. Follow the imprint, reject the
imprint whatever you decide it will be your decision and your mother and I will
stand by it."
"Don't bet on it."
Paul and Jr spun around and watched as Gaby walked
outside of the house and down the steps as she approached Jr. Her hand came up
and gripped Jr's chin as she pulled his face down to
look in her eyes.
"You can feel the pull."
Jr shook his head negatively but was quickly stopped
as his mother chastised him. "The truth. Right now Paul Michael Redson Jr."
Jr scowled or rather tried to keep the scowl off his
face when he was looking at his mother. He knew if he put a toe out of line; no
matter how old he was his father would rearrange his outer body parts in
alphabetical order. Last time he'd accidentally growled at his mother; his dad
nearly removed his head from his neck.
"Listen, I know that imprinting in general is scary because you never know
what your imprint is going to do. Now you don't know anything about Lacey and
she knows nothing about you. You're father is right we will support you in any
decision you make. But I won't support someone who won't even try. You talk to
her. You never know she may turn out to be your best friend and the best thing
that ever happens to you."
Her soft brown eyes turned up towards Paul. "I know your father was the
best thing that happened to me; when he imprinted on me. You never know what or
who you're going to get when you imprint. Keep that in mind when you let your
father's volatile temper take over your beautiful soul."
"Yes ma'am." Jr knew his mother had a
point.
Paul and Jr. watched as Gaby kissed her sons forehead and then her husband's
lips and walked back into the house.
Jr looked at his dad. "How does she always make
perfect sense?"
Paul chuckled. "Got me. You're mother has been like that since I imprinted
on her. She's always been one step ahead of me. Why shouldn't she know more
about you than you? But in her defense she has a point. I might have been
slightly rude, God don't tell your mother she'll beat the shit out of me for
it. I'll be sure to apologize before she finds out."
Jr laughed as he patted his dad on the shoulder.
"You be sure and do that dad, because you know mom will eat you alive
especially if she finds out before you apologize."
Paul couldn't help but agree with his son. He knew Jr. was going to need some
time to think about everything.
Meanwhile, Lacey sat by the fire pit that Sam had set up in the back yard, her
knees in her chest as she pushed her ear buds in her ears and was listening to
music. She was honestly trying to get things right in her mind. Who the hell
else has luck like this? First night in La Push and she gets imprinted on by a
mean stubborn asshole. Her mother was right though. She could still feel the
anger in Jr. as it coursed through her body and veins. She never knew someone
could have so much hate and anger in them. She’d seen her father mad before but
it wasn’t even a fraction of what she felt from Jr. She stared into the fire as
she left her mind wonder.
Lacey had heard her dad come back and take her mom off someplace no doubt to
talk. She felt someone nudge her as she looked up and smiled softly as brown
eyes looked down at her, “Hi Seth.” He’d been her best friend for a long time,
they logged a lot of cell phone hours and he’d come see her in Alaska whenever
he had free time.
Seth frowned he’d never see Lacey this down before she was always smiling. He
squatted down behind her and planted his butt behind her, “The guys told me
what happened. I’m sorry Lace. I don’t even know what to tell you right now. I
mean if it would’ve been anyone I wish it would’ve been me. How do you feel
about it?”
Lacey shrugged, “I don’t know how to feel or what to feel right now. All I can
feel is his anger. He’s so mad Seth.”
Seth held his hand out, “Show me.” Seth and Lacey had a special friendship
connection, Seth watched as Lacey placed her palm against Seth’s palm and
suddenly he could feel all of Paul’s anger. It was a different feeling then
when they were in wolf form and could hear each other. Seth wrapped his arms
around Lacey when he felt her shiver, “Don’t worry everything will be okay. I
promise.”
Lacey nodded as she stood with Seth and they walked into the woods to try and
talk and get away from everyone.
Jake watched as Seth took Lacey away and knew he could trust Seth with his
daughter.
Chapter 4
Seth and Lacey had been spending time together, but not for any
reason in particular. they had just been friends for so long that they could
understand each other much better than anyone else in the pack. Lacey had kept
herself far away from Jr. She'd never feared anything in her life, but Jr's volatile temper was definitely not normal. Her and her
family had been back in La Push for a couple of days.
Lacey was thankful for Seth because he had been good about keeping her mind off
of Jr. At least as much as he could without the imprint interfering with her
heart and mind.
Today was no different, since Lacey had been back she hadn't see her Aunt
Rachel. Seth had kept Lacey entertained the whole walk over to Rachel’s. Once
they got there they knocked on the door.
“C’mon in the door is open.”
Seth and Lacey walked into the cozy house and walked into the kitchen. They
could hear Rachel laughing hard as they rounded the corner they both saw Jr.
standing in Rachel’s kitchen, covered in sweat and dirt as he accepted the
glass of water from Rachel.
Jr’s head snapping around and felt his eyes narrow
slightly at the sight of Seth Clearwater and…the bloodsucker.
“What’s up Seth?” Her eyes widened at the sight of her niece, Rachel instantly
breaking away from her conversation with Jr. to greet her. “Lacey? My god you
look even more beautiful than the last time I saw you, sweetheart!!”
Lacey was wrapped in a hug by her aunt before she could even say anything.
Though she locked eyes with Jr she couldn’t stop her
body as it began trembling in her aunt’s arms, she couldn’t get her mouth to
move as Jr glared at her. She felt her heart
constrict as she could feel the hate and anger radiate through his body at top
notch speeds. Lacey pulled herself from her aunt’s loving arms, “I’m sorry Aunt
Rachel. I-I…I have to go.” Before Rachel could question the tears on her cheeks
she tore off out of the house and into the trees.
Seth trembled from head to toe; glaring at Jr like he
was the worst thing he’d ever saw in his life, wanting to rip him to shreds.
“Stay away from her.” He ordered in a grave voice before rushing out of the
door to find Lacey.
“Okay…” Rachel blinked, completely confused by what just happened, and turned
to stare at Jr with bewildered eyes. “What
just…happened?”
Jr shrugged. “I won’t lie to you Miss Black. I
imprinted on your niece and it didn’t go so well. I wasn’t the nicest of people
after having imprinted on a vampire.”
Rachel cocked her head to the side. “But Lacey is a hybrid. She’s half human.”
“Believe me I know. I’m just having a hard time with it. I can’t help but want
to hate her from head to toe with every fiber of my being. I was taught to hate
vampires my whole life so you’ll have to understand why it’s so hard for me
right now to accept the imprint.”
“Believe me my niece is not a normal vampire hybrid. Give it a chance. A real
chance Jr. Get to know her. Lacey was never a normal hybrid vampire. I think
once you get to know her you'll understand more about her. Try to be nice and
say hi. That two letter word could do so much for the two of you.”
Lacey ran as fast and as far as she could. She didn’t know where she was going,
but at this point she didn’t care. She knew her dad was going to be upset with
her for taking off alone, but she just needed to think. She knew Seth would
come after her so she was smart enough to cover her scent.
After two hours of searching, Seth finally gave up and went back to Emily and
Sam’s. As soon as he saw the worried look on Jake’s face, he knew Seth had taken
Lacey to see Rachel, but they should’ve been back by now. Seth frowned, “I’m
sorry Jake. It’s my fault. She was really upset. I can’t find her anywhere.”
Jacob was going to kill Jr for disobeying his command
to stay away from Lacey, scowling darkly. “Even after he imprinted on her…He
still…” He couldn’t speak right now and suddenly shoved Renesmee forcefully
away from him, shaking his head when she went to stand beside him again. “Step
back, Nessie.” He was going to phase, he could feel the fire shoot down his
spine and felt Sam and Jared pull him out the door, clothes shedding as he
leapt away from them into the air, landing on all fours and let out the alpha
howl, Sam, Jared and Seth phasing instantly.
Lacey heard the howls, so she knew they were looking for her. She just wasn’t
ready to face her dad yet. She was up in a 300 foot tree, sitting with her back
against the trunk. It was the one place she could go to be alone. Why did she
have to be a vampire? Why couldn’t she just be a normal female? Maybe if she
just stopped eating animals all together it would force her to human food for
good. Then she would never have to drink blood again. Some human foods made her
sick, but it would be worth it, if it kept her away from animal blood and raw
meat.
How messed up were dad’s Quileute God’s to let one of the pack imprint on her?
There was no way Lacey wanted to stick around and watch Jr's
volatile temper get the best of him and worse take it out on her. She could
already feel the pull to Jr and it made her sick to
her stomach to have him give her such a filthy look. She felt the tears trickle
down her cheeks as she pulled her knees up into her chest and sobbed into her
jean covered knees.
Jacob ignored Paul when he arrived, too worried about his daughter to think of
much else at the moment. He instructed everyone to take certain parts of the
woods, knowing they would find her eventually. He hated when Lacey did this and
vowed to scold her good when he found her, after hugging the daylights out of
her first. He could feel her pain and it broke his heart, though that wouldn’t
stop his smart daughter from covering her scent up. He hated that she could do
that too.
Lacey looked down and watched as all the wolves passed. She was a little
curious as to why Paul was with them. If he and his son were so against the
imprinting why join the search? If they hated her so much why not just kill her
the minute Jr imprinted? Problem solved. Lacey slid
out of the tree and took off in the opposite direction of the wolves. She could
smell all of them; even her dad and Seth. She knew they wouldn’t allow Luca to
go; he was still too new to the phasing.
She found herself at the side of a cliff as she looked down at the ocean water.
She knew her dad was going to yell and be mad. Not that she couldn’t blame him.
Even if she was in her twenties, he was still her father. She lay in the grass
and it was so soft as she stared up at the moon. She curled into a ball on her
side as she fell asleep.
Jacob finally went to the cliffs, knowing his daughter loved going up there,
and sighed with relief at the sight of her curled up in a ball. He phased and
immediately pulled his shorts on, towering over her sleeping form, the tear
streaks on her cheeks emanating in the moonlight. “Lace.” He whispered and
lifted her up in his strong arms, turning around and scowled at the look on
Paul’s face. “I’m warning you right now Redson, tell
your kid to stay away from my family. If you don’t, you will be sorry.” He then
brushed past Paul, shoving the man aside as he took Lacey home, kissing her
forehead very softly.
Lacey had been right her dad screamed and burst into a wolf a couple of times,
but in the end he hugged her tightly. Afterwards Seth had grabbed her hand and
took her to the beach. It was time for them to hash it out.
Chapter 5
A few weeks later and Lacey giggled at the face Seth made when he
was telling her about telling her dad she was missing, “I still don’t
understand why Paul was helping look for me. I mean if Jr
hates me so much why not just tear me apart like I know they both really want
too...Why would his father even attempt to come look for me?”
Seth frowned, “Lacey please don’t say that. You’re my best friend. I know it
hurts. Believe me I know you’re in pain. I imprinted and my imprint would
pretty much laugh me into next year if she found out I imprinted on her. Not to
mention she has a rather large boyfriend. Like I told you before I wish it
would’ve been me who imprinted on you. At least we’d know we’d never hurt each
other.”
Lacey giggled as she made gagging noises, “Ewww Seth you’re my best friend.
That would just be awkward!” She couldn’t help giggle more as Seth growled at
her and spun her around in circles as she squealed in surprise.
Blackened eyes watched their every move from a far distance and Jr didn’t understand why he was doing so. He wanted nothing
to do with the bloodsucker, yet here he was watching as Seth Clearwater flirted
with and touched her. A scowl spread across his lips, Jr
knew it was because of the imprinting, there was no other explanation for it.
He hated this and wished imprinting never existed, wanting to set the Quileute
Gods on fire for doing this to him.
Why the hell would they choose a vampire hybrid over his own damn kind? Jr had just started falling for another girl in the tribe
and hoped he’d imprinted on her and then he had to go and lock eyes with this
bloodsucker and now his life was destroyed. His happiness was gone. All he felt
was raw anger and pain, two things Jr rarely felt in
his life, but knew he's inherited it from his father. And on top of the anger
and pain was blinding jealousy as he watched another member of the pack make
HIS imprint laugh.
Seth chuckled as he stopped and set Lacey on her feet, “Are you sure? I bet we
could make beautiful babies together. You with your insanely colored burnt
orange eyes and my all around good looks.”
Lacey faked a gag, “No I’m good. Clearly I’m meant to be someone’s soul mate.
And clearly he doesn’t want me. Maybe he is supposed to kill me. It’s what you
guys are designed to do. Even if dad’s blood is running through my veins as
well.”
Lacey shrugged, Seth started to protest, when Lacey shook her head, “I’m not
afraid to die Seth. Whether it’s old age or because a temperamental wolf who
hates me is supposed to kill me. The only thing I’m really afraid of is dying
without ever knowing what true love feels like. I see how happy mom and dad are
and can’t help but wish I could feel even a fraction of that for a split second
in my life.”
Trying to change the subject, “So who did you imprint on anyways?”
Seth chuckled, “You’re never going to believe this.” He pulled Lacey close to
him and whispered in her ear. He’d been keeping it a secret for a while now and
no one in the pack knew. Not even his sister Leah.
Lacey pulled back with an astonished look on her face, “Wow.”
Jr had excellent hearing and growled inwardly, not
believing this little piss ant actually thought he measured up as far as having
babies with his imprint. Why the hell was Jr even
conflicted about this? If he was really against the imprint why was he letting
himself get jealous over another pack member sweet talk his imprint? Why? WHY?
Because she was still HIS imprint. DAMN IT! Jr took
off running through the woods. He could still feel the pull to her. He couldn't
stop it and he could feel his body responding to her giggles and her soft
sounding voice. Her beautiful face and her insanely orange colored eyes. He
felt like he was going crazy he couldn't actually feel himself falling for a
bloodsucker.
Lacey had been working at the hospital in Forks with Carlisle since they'd
moved to La Push. He'd been teaching her everything. Even though Jake and
Nessie still weren't on talking terms with Edward and Bella the twins were
still allowed to see their extended vampire family. Carlisle had been teaching
Lacey everything there was to know about medicine and being a doctor. She was a
fast learned and an even quicker study. She'd saved her far share of the dying who crossed her path in at the hospital.
Lacey was walking around her house trying to get it set up the way she wanted
it. Picking everything up and moving from Alaska had been a huge ordeal. She'd
thought for sure she'd never leave and then Luca phased and her parents knew
they had to get him to La Push he had to be trained like every other pack
member from their tribe. Lacey just never imagined moving to La Push would
change her life like that.
A knocking on the front door brought her from her thoughts as she walked over
and opened the door. Swallowing hard as she backed away from the open door as
she watched the hulking figure of Paul Redson Jr walked through the doorway and into her home. Her bottom
lip trembled as she watched him.
He was absolutely beautiful. He was clad only in cut off shorts, sneakers
covering his feet and his chest left bare was heaving slowly, clearly he had
been running. She was fascinated with how his whole body was covered in tan
skin also in muscles. More and bigger muscles then his father had. He was
clearly out growing his father in height as well. His deep dark blackened eyes
looked like two pools of black tar, their color matched that of his thick black
hair as well.
Jr's hair looked soft and she wanted to run her
fingers through it, but she was clearly not going anywhere near him. She
finally found her tongue as she cleared her throat and wrapped her arms around
herself.
"Why are you here?"
Jr couldn't even answer that question himself.
Something. Some kind of force told him to come see her face to face. The last
time they'd been in this position he'd taken off letting his temper get the
best of him. Which had been the very same day he'd imprinted on her.
"I don't know myself. I was hoping you could tell me why I'm here."
"Me? How would I know? I certainly didn't invite you. Every time I've seen
you...Clearly it hasn't been the warmest of salutations."
"I know." That came out rougher than he wanted it too. "I never
meant. I mean. I never thought..."
"That you'd imprint on a bloodsucker." Lacey finished his thought for
him.
Jr shook his head negatively as he moved around a
little. "I didn't say that."
"You didn't really have to. I'm smart enough to know better." Lacey
confessed.
She could see Jr's hands as they started to shake.
There was a different emotion under his skin, just under the surface and she
couldn't tell what it was. Lacey took a step forward towards Jr as she reached out and lightly touched his forearm.
"Is there something I can do to help? I mean. You're shaking pretty badly.
Should I call someone?"
Since he'd stepped through her front door they had locked eyes and couldn't
turn away from each other's gaze. He didn't want to stop looking at her...ever.
Her scent was of gardenia's and it was the most
heavenly scent that had ever filled his nose. There was a strange calming that
came over his body when she touched is forearm, but it scared him and he could
feel the heat zipping down his spine. He was going to phase and knew he had to
leave.
"I better go."
"Are you going to come back?"
That small six word question rang through his ears and thumped through his
beating heart. His free hand gripped her hand that was on his forearm removing
it from the skin on skin contact. He gently squeezed her hand before he let go
of it and watched as it fell to her side. His tongue came out and licked his
suddenly dry lips as he continued to stare into her hypnotizing eyes.
"I don't know..."
He turned to leave and stopped in the door way as he was about to close her
front door. He felt like her eyes were begging him to just stay and talk; but
as much as he wanted to he knew he was about to phase, he was practically
forcing himself not to. He turned back at looked at her.
"Maybe later." After he uttered his last two words to her he pulled
her door closed and as soon as he jumped off the porch he had already phased
and ran to the trees.
Lacey slid down the wall nearest the front door as she tried to calm herself.
She was scared, but yet she wasn't. There was something in the conversation and
she just wasn't sure what it was. She could only hope that 'maybe later' turned
into another visitation.
Chapter 6
~Knock-Knock-Knock~
Lacey looked over at the front door from the couch. Her suddenly dry lip forced
her tongue out to lick them and then roll them together. She slowly stood from
the couch and walked over and opened the door. The gasp escaped her lips as her
orange colored eyes saw the three claw marks across Jr’s
chest as he cringed and fell against the doorway. He looked almost defeated and
definitely tired.
“Jr…”
He held up his other hand that wasn’t covering the claw marks. “I got into a
bit of a fight with a bloodsucker……” His eyebrows met as he frowned once he was
aware that he’s used the word bloodsucker in front of her. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay; I probably would’ve said the same thing.” Lacey pushed the open
further as he pushed off from the door frame as he walked into the house and
heard her close the door behind his hulking frame. “What can I do to help you?
Let me get you a towel.”
“No it’s okay I’ll heal in a minute. I don’t know why I came here. I shouldn’t
have come. I’ll leave.”
“You don’t have to go. You can stay as long as you want. Are you…sure I can’t
help you with something?”
“No. Honest. Look I’m already healed.” He moved his hand and watched as her
eyes diverted to his chest. There wasn’t a lot of blood, but when Lacey reached
out to touch Jr, he backed away slightly.
“I’m not thirsty Jr. I’m just fascinated by the packs ability to heal fast.
It’s always amazed me.”
“I’m sorry. That was such a pricky thing to do.”
“Come with me to the bathroom. We can get the blood of you there.”
Lacey walked down the hallway and could hear Jr
following her, he followed her into the bathroom as she turned the warm water
on and grabbed a wash cloth and soaked it and ran it over his chest; she
couldn’t believe her eyes. The claw marks that marred his chest a few minutes
prior had been replaced with smooth tan flesh. Once all the blood had been
removed, she grabbed a dry towel from the shelf and patted Jr’s
chest dry.
Jr looked down and watched as she bit her bottom lip
while she reached out, her hand was shaking slightly, Jr
was surprised when her hand touched his chest it was warm. Normally vampires
were ice cold to the touch. Jr placed his hand over
hers and slid it down to over his heart. He watched the different emotions as
they moved across her face.
Lacey stood feeling Jr’s heart beat against the palm
of her hand. Her eyes slowly flittered up and locked with his nearly blackened
eyes.
“Why did you come here tonight?”
“I don’t know. I can’t explain it. Ever since I left earlier I kept having this
feeling that was telling me to turn around and come back. Once I got into a
fight with the Vampire I got feeling that I just needed to come back here. I
needed to protect you. He was about a mile from here. The vampire had gotten
too close.”
While Jr was explaining his actions Lacey felt his
hand grip her waist and then his arm slid around her waist bringing her closer
to him. By the time he finished explaining his forehead was resting against
hers. His eyes were closed tight as if he was scared to open them like she
would disappear into thin air because the Vampire had gotten too close.
Lacey’s bewildered eyes blinked a few thousand times as she felt Jr calm himself down; their bodies were pressed so close
together, she could feel his chest expand and diminish as he was slowing his
breathing, his warm breath washed across her face softly. Lacey watched as Jr’s eyes slowly fluttered open.
Before she could even say anything to him, his lips captured hers in a furious
kiss. It didn’t feel forced, to her it felt toe
curling and passionate. She’d been kissed before but it was never to this
magnitude. She felt his heart speed up against the palm of her hand and then
her heart start speeding up as it caught up and matched his. She felt his
tongue gently swipe her bottom lip. Her lips parted and she felt his tongue
slide into her mouth. They both groaned at the contact when their tongues first
touched together.
Jr’s strong hands gripped her waist and lifted her
with ease as he sat her on the sink counter. Standing between her thighs he
continued to kiss her with a fevered pitch. His big hands were so tender in the
way he was touching her almost as if he were scared to hurt her.
Jr felt Lacey wrap her long legs around his waist
pulling him closer to her body. His fingers played with the hem of her t-shirt
before his soft fingertip slid up under the cotton material as her shirt rod up
as Jr gently pulled it from her body, his lips going
back to hers automatically. Jr. leaned down and carefully lifted Lacey from the
sink counter, as he followed her scent down the hallway and to her bedroom.
Lacey’s world tilted as her bed came in contact with her soft comforter and Jr’s weight was accepted onto her. Their lips never stopped
moving. As soon as her mouth opened against his lips, his tongue slipped in and
caressed her tongue. He smirked when he felt her hands slid around his neck and
up into his hair again. He definitely enjoyed her fingers weaving themselves
through his hair. His warm hands slid down her body as his fingertips lightly
inspected her body. Her skin was at least a few degrees less than his own 109
temperature.
Jr’s reluctantly pulled his lips from hers as her
eyes remained closed and Jr leaned his forehead
against her own. His warm breath washed over her face as he fought to control
himself. “Fuck you’re killing me Lacey.” Jr relaxed
into her body more, being careful not to crush her, her fingertips danced along
his overly heated skin as they slid down his shoulders and sides, one of her
hands slid beneath offending jean material, she wasn’t shocked that all he had
on was those shorts. Knowing it was useless for him or the others to wear
underwear when they phased it would just get destroyed.
Jr nearly lost it when her small hand gently groped
his right butt cheek under his jeans and not over them. Lacey couldn’t help but
giggle because she felt him shiver against her. Apparently she had surprised
him. Lacey soft voice whispered in his ear, “Lift up a little.” Jr carefully pushed up with his elbows and held himself up
with his right hand pushed into the mattress.
Lacey’s small hands explored the expanse of his bare chest and slightly ran
slower over his clenched ab muscles. He felt her
hands at the waistline of his jean shorts. She tugged at the material until the
button came undone and slowly slid the zipper down with her thumb and index
finger.
Jr felt his mouth go dry and he nearly held his
breath as he felt his imprint take his erection into her small hand. His breath
hitched in his throat as he groaned at the contact. His breathing was labored
as he felt his imprint stroke him gently. Lacey kissed along his strong jawline as he lowered his head so she could reach him. Jr couldn’t even make a sound as she stroked him again.
“Don’t you think we have a bit too many clothes on?” He nodded as he un-hooked
her bra from the back with his left hand as his right still held him above
her…his hands were softly caressing her in places she couldn’t imagine that
could be caressed…like her waist, hips…outer thighs…Just the feel of his hands
on her…was comforting…Jr gently pulled at her cotton
shorts and kissed down her lower abdomen…he slid his tongue over and kissed her
left hip and the slide his tongue over and kissed and caressed her right hip.
Jr rolled her over onto her stomach…and was kissing
the small of her back…he was running kisses up and down her vertebrae…he came
up to her shoulder and was kissing her shoulders, shoulder blades and the back
of her neck…He had his arm around across the top of her chest from shoulder to
shoulder…Lacey was kissing along his forearm…and just could feel the heat radiating
off his arm…and his hand that had slowly ran down her back and sides where her
ribs were…his hands had lightly brushed against her breasts.
Jr turned her back over onto her back, and Lacey
reached up and pulled him down. Jr started kissing
her lips again, while caressing her breasts and stomach…Lacey was running her
hands down his chest and gently pushed him over onto his back and slowly kissed
down his throat to his chest…She gave his nipples a little tease when she
slowly licked around them and then blew hot air onto them…they perked up and Jr groaned from the back of his throat…Lacey placed feather
light kisses down his sternum…and traced his 6-pak with her tongue and lips.
Jr’s erection was strained against the material of
his jeans…and he pulled his jeans off and the laid her flat on her back and
slowly pulled her shorts and panties down her long legs and threw them in the
collecting pile of clothes on the floor…Jr slowly
crawled up her body and softly spread her legs with his hands.
Jr looked into her eyes as if asking permission to go
further…Lacey just nodded her approval…and Jr slowly
started sliding his erection all the way into her core…Lacey couldn’t help but
let out a ferrous moan…They both realized this is exactly where they needed to be
at that second…Once Jr was fully sheathed in her, he
kept still letting every part of her body adjust to him.
Jr started slowly moving in and out of her…and Lacey
was holding on…She was kissing Jr’s neck and ear and
finally started begging him to go faster…it was his undoing…he started slamming
into her as hard and as fast as he could…he pulled her knees up and gripped the
back of her thighs and pushed them apart further to stroke deeper into her
willing body…Lacey was almost on the brink of insanity. All Lacey could do was
moan because he started thrusting as hard and as deep into her as he could…her
whole body was about to explode…Lacey clamped her eyes shut tight…and Jr leaned down, “Open your eyes Lacey..."
Lacey opened her eyes…They kept their eyes locked on each other…and finally
Lacey started falling over the edge…Her orgasm raked through her body…and as
soon as Jr felt her walls clamping down, milking him
as she cam…Jr growled out his release…Jr thrusted one last time, and
cam loud…Lacey felt him slam so deep inside of her…Feeling him explode so deep
into her…only made her cum again…Jr rode her hard
through both of her orgasms…Jr collapsed on the bed
next to her, not wanting to crush her…they just laid there staring at each
other in silence.
Jr didn’t leave her body, she kissed his lips and he
instantly felt himself growing hard again while he was still inside of her. Jr rolled onto his back pulling Lacey on top of him as he
gently guided her hips up and down his already recovered erection.
Jr watched the emotions as they crossed Lacey’s face,
but she never protested as she laced her fingers with his and continued the
sexual escapade the two of them seemed to be riding that night.
Chapter 7
Orange eyes fluttered open as Lacey moved around the bed a little. A
heavy arm was draped across her waist. She moved around a little bit more and
was suddenly aware she was still naked from the previous night and the flesh
and muscle covered chest she had her head resting on belonged to Paul Redson Jr. Her orange eyes turned up towards his face. His
brown eyes were already open and staring down at her.
Lacey couldn’t help but smirk. “How long have you been awake?”
Jr nodded as he returned the smirk she gave. “A
while; long enough to watch you sleep so softly and peacefully. I’ve never seen
anyone sleep as peacefully as you. I thought vampires didn’t sleep.” Lacey
couldn’t help giggle at his forwardness. “It depends with hybrids. I like to
sleep at night to refresh myself.”
Jr moved around as he got comfortable in the middle
of the bed, Lacey’s gardenia scent was all over her, her bed, it infiltrated
his senses as he slept. He’d never slept so deep and so good in all his life.
“What are we going to do?”
“What do you want to do? Everything is up to you. It’s not my decision. I could
sit here and tell you how wonderful last night felt. How amazing every kiss,
and touch, and caress felt from you, but in the end you have to decide if you
want to be known as the wolf who took a chance on a hybrid; being only the
second in the pack to imprint on a half human; half vampire girl. I don’t know
if you are even willing to try that. I haven’t been the one rejecting. You
have. To me it means something completely different than it does to you.
Vampires can go for years before they met someone who completes their lives.
You guys are shown the way to the perfect loved one.”
Jr watched as Lacey pulled herself from the bed as
she collected her clothing and proceeded to get dressed. Jr
vacated the bed as well, while pulling his shorts on.
Lacey sighed heavily as she combed her fingers through her hair. “You also need
to think of something else. If we do follow the imprint; we will have kids and
you have to take into the fact that they will all turn out like you and go all wolfie on more than a few occasions or they will turn out
like me and will be hybrids. Plus the whole twin factor; we could end up with
one of each like my folks. There’s a lot you need to contemplate and decide on.
I like you the way you are. Bad temper and all. But you initially have to
figure out what you want and what you need. Like I said it's your
decision."
"What do you want Lacey?"
Lacey shook her head negatively. "You imprinted on me a few weeks ago and
since then the pull to you has been strong and getting stronger on a daily
basis...Seth and my uncles tell me stories about when they were growing up with
my dad and your dad. And then stories about you and I can just feel myself
falling even deeper. I have to stop myself, because in the middle of all of
this you could just walk away. I can look in your eyes and know right now you
regret last night. No matter how great it felt to come together like that, you
regret every single second and you're trying to figure out how to keep it out
of your thoughts when you're on patrol next because you don't want the pack to
know that you made love to a vampire...hybrid or not. To you it doesn't even
matter that I'm your imprint. You're ashamed you let the imprint work you over
like that and even more embarrassed because you let yourself feel something for
me."
Anger flashed in Jr's eyes, how could his imprint be
saying these things to him? How could she possibly know what he was thinking or
feeling? Jr growled audible. "I didn't say that.
I didn't say any of that!"
"You didn't have to! By the time I was 10 I could read people better than
any psychic. It doesn't matter what expression is on your face. I can look in
your eyes and they tell me the whole story. So please don't act as if I don't
know what I'm talking about, because I already know. You don't have to say two
words to me, I know what you're going to say before you even say it. Hell I
know what you are going to say before you even think it. You said you don't
want to be like your father but you already are. You couldn't be any different
if you had different mothers. The same bad attitude and volatile temper. Your
father reject your mother as his imprint too."
"SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MY FATHER! AT LEAST MY DAD DIDN'T
IMPRINT ON A FILTHY MUTANT BLOODSUCKER AND THEN CREATE A FILTHY MUTANT
BLOODSUCKER!" Jr growled furiously,
"He broke his imprints heart and said hateful things to her, before he
realized that no matter what you do, you're imprint is the only one you'll EVER
love. So go ahead and leave with your tail tucked firmly between your legs and
pretend last night never happened; because as much as you don't want to be your
father, it's too late you already are him."
Jr tore through the house and phased as soon as he
was out the front door, his paws hit the dirt and he ran like a bat out of hell
into the trees, snapping and snarling all the way.
Lacey knew it was a bitchy thing to do but she could read Jr
like a book. She knew everything that came out of her mouth was true. There
wasn't one thing that she said that was a lie.
It was a Friday night and the whole pack was meeting at the beach for the
bonfire. They had been training Luca and Lacey hadn’t seen him for a few weeks,
since they’d taken him into training. Lacey walked along the beach as she
watched her mom help Emily, Aunt Kim and Aunt Claire set everything up. She
watched as most of the younger guys were throwing around the football something
to keep them occupied and out of Emily’s hair. She also hadn’t seen hide nor
hair of Jr for the last few weeks as well. Her heart
felt as if his claws were digging into it.
Some nights the nightmares made their way into her bedroom. But Seth would come
save her from them. She still couldn’t believe he’d imprinted on her Aunt
Sandra and was able to keep it a secret still. She could tell how much he loved
her. But was smart enough to keep it to himself.
Jr walked up to the bonfire with his arm wrapped
firmly around Sandra’s waist, a smile on his face, wearing a thin black beater
with dark jean cargo shorts and sneakers. Sandra looked beautiful in a blue
sundress; her black locks swept back in a braid that hung over her shoulder,
smiling up at Jr. Though she couldn’t help feeling as though she didn’t belong
with him and even expressed her concerns to Jr, who
merely told her that it was her fear to be with him. He’d done what he had to
do and now it was time to come clean to the rest of the pack, everyone stopping
what they were doing upon their arrival. He didn’t dare look at his imprint,
already feeling the pull toward her, and tightened his arm around Sandra’s
waist.
Sandra was busting at the seams and clearly everyone noticed it, her eyes
shining with happiness. “We’re getting married!!” She cried out with joy,
extending her hand as the beautiful huge diamond shined on her left ring
finger, the firelight catching how it glittered.
Jr grinned from ear to ear and passionately kissed
his fiancée on the lips in front of everyone, his heart silently and secretly
breaking. “I imprinted on Sandra, Jake. It was a false alarm with your…daughter.”
He had a hard time saying that word, calling Lacey something normal. “Sandra is
my soul mate and we’re getting married as soon as possible.”
“Isn’t it exciting?!” Sandra chirped.
Lacey walked up to the bonfire where everyone had gone silent. "Isn't what
exciting?"
All eyes turned towards her when she saw Jr with his
arm wrapped around a native girl, who was clearly part of the reservation and
knew about the pack. Lacey's orange eyes traveled down and saw the engagement
ring snuggly sitting on the girls finger.
Out of the group of friends a deep growl echoed through the night.
Chapter 8
Seth growled ferociously, “You’re a filthy liar Paul Redson Jr and you fuckin well
know it.” Seth stood up as his breathing started to get ragged and he could
feel his own anger and heat consuming him at a fast rate, “You’re just too much
of a damn coward and chicken shit to be with Lacey. You have no idea what kind
of a soul she has because you won’t even try. You’re too wrapped up in your own
bullshit to see what’s right in front of you.” Seth couldn’t contain the fire
burning inside of him anymore and suddenly burst into a wolf.
Lacey noticed Jr had stepped away from Sandra and
Seth reared back and charge at Jr, As much as Lacey
would love to see Seth tear into Jr for causing all
the pain, she could still feel love for him in her heart and she jumped in
front of Seth stopping him from hurting Jr, she
locked eyes with him as he growled and stomped at the ground, “Don’t do it
Seth. It’s not worth it. He’s not worth it.” She could see the look in his eyes
as he tore off into the trees.
Lacey turned around and faced Jr. She walked up and stood in front of him,
locking eyes with him for a minute before she looked at her best friends
imprint, “I don’t know what handfuls of bullshit he’s been telling you Sandra,
but he imprinted on me the first day I was here several weeks ago…Jr couldn’t have imprinted on you, because Seth imprinted
on you 9 months ago…As for you…”
She turned her burnt orange eyes back to Jr as a few
stray tears slid down her cheeks. “I might be a disgusting bloodsucker but at
least I’m not a heartless mutt.” Lacey reached up and placed her palm against Jr’s cheek, as she let him feel the pain and anguish she’d
felt for the last few weeks all the way back to when she was scared the first
couple of days after he’d imprinted on her. Once she pulled her hand back she
spared a look at her mom and dad and said, “Sorry I'm leaving La Push for a
couple of days. I need to get away.”
She was gone within seconds of ending her sentence making sure to cover her
scent along the way.
Jr felt sick from all the pain and anguish he’d
caused Lacey the last few weeks, though that wasn’t going to stop him from
marrying Sandra.
“Jr, what’s going on?” Sandra’s quizzical voice
asked.
“I have no idea.” He shrugged; staring down into Sandra’s blackened eyes,
trying to get over the initial shock that Seth had imprinted on her nine months
ago. “I don’t believe a word they say, do you?”
“I don’t know, Jr…” Sandra couldn’t believe what Seth
said, blinking.
“Sandra, they’re just jealous because they could never have what we do.” He
held her hands in his own, hoping she believed all of his lies. “I imprinted on
you, not that stupid pup. Let him have Lacey, we can have each other.”
“Both of you need to leave NOW.” Emily ordered gravely, her eyes narrowed to
slits, holding Sam back while Jacob had actually phased and was tearing through
the woods at top speed looking for Lacey…again. “GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE RIGHT
NOW!!”
Jr led a tearful Sandra away, glaring back at the
pack he once knew as his family. ‘Fuck them; I’m doing what I have to do.’ He
thought bitterly and helped Sandra into his truck before peeling out of there.
Luca couldn’t believe what an asshole Jr turned out
to be. Even more so he couldn’t believe Sandra was buying his lies and
bullshit. Lacey had been missing for a few days. He knew where she was, but he
wasn’t stupid enough to give her up to their parents. They were twins; they
were linked in every way possible. He knew she was in a lot of pain. Their dad
was on the verge of tearing Jr a part.
Jake stood holding Renesmee in his arms, “It’ll be okay Nessie. I’ll find her I
promise.” Renesmee knew Lacey was an adult, but she’d been missing for almost a
week now. She was terrified she’d never see her daughter again, “Do you think
we should call mom and dad? I just don’t know what to do Jake; she’s been
missing for a week. I know our daughter has your stubborn side, but I’m scared
Jake.” Jake shook his head as he looked down at his beautiful wife, “Don’t be
you know Lacey and Luca are both insanely intelligent. I would like to think
they picked up some of our smarts while growing up. Lacey is resourceful and
when she’s ready to come back she will. We just have to trust that if she gets
into any danger she’d come across the border immediately.”
A river of tears slid down her cheeks as she buried her face in Jake’s chest,
“I’m scared Jake. I miss her so much.”
Luca watched his parents. He knew they were going out of their minds with grief
hoping that Lacey would come back. Luca walked up to his parents and cleared
his throat. Since they’d been in La Push and he was being trained in the pack heds gained quite a bit of muscle mass and was much bigger
in wolf form now as well. Jake looked at his son, “What is it Luca?”
Luca frowned, “Lacey called my cell. She wants you to know she’s okay and she’s
safe."
Jake frowned, “Where is she Luca?”
Luca shook his head, “I can’t tell you, she made me promise. You know I can’t
tell you dad. She just told me to tell you she’s ok and safe and that was it.
If mom wants to talk to her she can use my cell and call her. She won’t answer
if she sees either of your numbers on her caller id.”
Jake nodded, he knew Lacey was stubborn, but damn sometimes she reminded him of
himself when he was younger.
Lacey sat looking out the window it had been raining for a few days and she
watched as drops slid down the cold pane of glass. She felt her cheeks wet
again as the tears pricked her eyes. Maybe it was raining to show the heaven’s
felt her pain.
“You should come hunt with us Lacey. You haven’t eaten since you got here.”
The voice broke her from her thoughts as she looked into familiar amber eyes,
“I’m not hungry Uncle Emmett.” She felt cool lips kiss the top of her head.
If he ever got his claws on Paul Redson Jr it would only be too soon. Rosalie had told him they
needed to call Jake and Renesmee and let them know Lacey was okay, Emmett did
not agree they would only make her go back to the rez and she’d be miserable if
she had to see Jr. For right now he was going to do as Lacey had begged and
just let her deal with the pain.
“She’ll be fine Emmett, give her time. Her heart is broken right now.” Rosalie
stated, pulling Emmett away from the doorway of Lacey’s room, eyes narrowed
slightly. “I really want to rip his heart out.”
“You’re not the only one.” Emmett growled, pulling Rosalie against him with a
heaving sigh, knowing Edward and Bella were worried for their granddaughter.
“Where’s Edward?”
"I’m right here.” Edward stated from behind, causing both Emmett and
Rosalie to turn around, Bella standing beside him. “We’re going in to see our
granddaughter.”
“She needs to eat.” Bella stated, refusing to back down as her golden eyes
flared. “Please, we need to make sure she’s alright.”
“Just leave her alone, you two.” Rosalie ordered, standing in his way, glaring
at Bella when she tried moving them aside. “She wants to deal with the pain
alone and you need to let her. There’s nothing you two can do for her right
now.”
"I'm going to stay with her for a bit. I'll go hunt once everyone comes
back." Emmett excused himself from everyone and walked into Lacey's room.
He sat next to her on the window seat. Once their eyes locked she threw herself
into his arms as he cradled her small form against his chest trying to soothe
her tears.
Chapter 9
A knock on the front door brought the Cullen’s out of their own
private thoughts on Lacey’s health and wellness. Jasper pulled himself from
Alice’s arms as he walked over and opened the front door of Cullen Manor.
Jasper let out a hiss by accident as soon as the scent of wet dog hit his nose.
He felt ashamed as he came face to face with Seth. Jasper stood up straight as
he frowned.
“Sorry Seth. You’re scent threw me off.”
“No problem bro. You already know who I came to see.”
“She’s upstairs in her room. I hope you can get her out of here to hunt. She
hasn’t eaten in a week.”
Seth nodded as he walked into the Cullen’s house and jogged upstairs. He leaned
against the door way as he watched Lacey walk the hard wood floors of her room.
Lacey spun around when the floor make a creaking noise under the weight of
Seth. Lacey frowned as she walked over and Seth wrapped her up in his arms.
Seth’s hand cradled the back of her head as his free arm wrapped around her
waist.
“It just hurts so bad; I just want the pain to go away. Why can’t it just
stop?” As she began to sob against Seth’s t-shirt covered chest.
“It will stop in time, but you can’t do this to yourself, Lacey. I’m not trying
to lecture you, but you have to eat something. You’re starving yourself to
death and there are people who love and care about you; I’m included in there
as well. Please, eat something; let me get you out of here and I’ll go hunt
with you. I’ll even kill the deer.” He sighed when she simply sobbed against
him, pulling her to where they were both sitting on the bed,
Seth and Lacey decided they’d head back to La Push, she knew her mom and dad
had been worried about her and Luca as well. She made sure to thank Carlisle
and Esme for the spare bed. They made sure to let her know she was always
welcome back.
Seth did as he promised and caught and killed a deer for her while in his wolf
form, Lacey fed off the animal after which point they both buried the animal.
Seth rephrased as he pulled his shorts on and frowned. “Your dad is on his way
to you. I’m going to split. Call me later please.” He watched as Lacey nodded
as she made her way over to the beach water line as she sat in the sand with
her knees into her chest. He knew she couldn’t stop feeling the pain. But he
also knew Jr could feel it to. Anyone who was close
to her or Jr knew they were torturing themselves. And
no one could make the decision for them. Lacey put the decision on Jr’s shoulders.
As soon as she entered La Push, Jacob could feel it and made a beeline for the
ocean, not waiting to tell Renesmee what was going on. He stopped short and
found his daughter sitting on the beach, her head in her hands, knees drawn up
to her chest. Heart clenching with pain, Jacob could feel her heart wrenching
pain zipping through him at top speeds and he vowed he would destroy Paul Redson Jr. He’d already banned him from the pack, to which Jr informed him he couldn’t do…that was until Billy Black
stepped in and said that if Jr couldn’t accept the
truth of his imprinting status and let Sandra be with Seth, then he had no
business being in the pack any longer.
Billy’s word was golden and sacred throughout the Quileute lands and Jr had snarled at him, telling him he was worthless before
disappearing into the woods. Jacob slowly walked toward his daughter and bent down,
wrapping his arms tightly around her so she couldn’t escape him, his nose
burying in the side of her neck.
"It hurts. It hurts really bad dad." Lacey could help as she
whimpered and turned and buried her face in her father's chest as she cried
hard. "I'm just going to have to get over it. I'll have to move on with my
life. I don't really have a choice. Maybe Seth and I should get married."
"I know baby. I wish I could take the pain away for you. Hell I wish I
could rewind time and keep you away from here so Jr
couldn't imprint on you...But it was fate. It happened because it was supposed
to. No one understands why the Quileute God's pick who we imprint on. They just
do. No one has questioned it in years. Jr would have
to be the stubborn wolf in the pack like his father and reject his imprint. I'm
just sorry I don't have any control of it or him."
Jake suddenly went silent as he was aware of the words Lacey had just said. He
pulled back holding onto her upper arms, he looked down at her tear streaked
face. "What are you talking about? What do you mean marry Seth?"
Lacey chewed her bottom lip nervously. "Dad, don't you remember before me
and Seth became such good friends we dated for a while. After a few dates and
some kissing, we realized we weren't feeling any sparks between us. Nothing. We
were both completely...not bored, but I don't know it was just lacking
something. He joked with me the other day about getting married so Jr and Sandra could be together and I laughed at him. Until
I noticed he was completely serious. I told him it wasn't fair to him or me if
we settled with each other when we both knew we'd never love each other in a
romantic way."
Jake sighed heavily as he shook his head. "Lacey don't make yourself do or
feel anything you don't want to. I mean it was nice of Seth and yea I would
like having him as a son in law because then at least I'd know you'd always be
loved and taken care of...but if you don't feel it in your heart then don't
waste your time. Stay friends. It's a lot less complicated that way for both of
you."
Lacey and her dad were walking back to the house, when they heard what sounded
like dogs fighting. Lacey could feel it; she looked up at her dad, “It’s Seth
and Jr.” She watched as her dad nodded and they took off towards Sandra’s.
Seth watched from the tree line as Sandra was hanging laundry on the line
outside. Jr had left about twenty minutes ago, Seth
stepped out of the trees and walked over and stood behind Sandra. When she spun
around she locked eyes with Seth. Seth had his arms to his side as he towered
over her. “I’ve always been the quiet one in the pack Sandra. I imprinted on
you when you first moved back to La Push nine months ago. I just didn’t know
what to do or how to handle it. Jr lied to you. You can
feel the pull you’re just clouded by his passion haze that you think the pull
is to him. I shouldn’t have waited so long to tell you and I’m sorry it was my
fault.”
Seth sighed heavily, “But it’s not my fault that Jr
lied to you. He imprinted on Lacey, but he’s such a coward because he wanted to
imprint on someone from the tribe, but he doesn’t realize Lacey has Jake’s
blood running through her veins. She’s been my best friend for a long time. I
can only imagine what kind of pain she’s in right now.” Sandra started to say
something to him, “I can prove it was me who imprinted on you Sandra. I swear.”
Seth leaned over and captured Sandra's lips. At first she started to pull away,
but suddenly her arms wrapped around his neck pulling him closer to her.
A ferocious growl behind them pulled them apart.
Chapter 10
“Jr, stop it!!” Sandra cried out.
She watched the dark silver and sand colored wolves fighting, Seth having
phased instantly. She backed up when they came a little too close and rolled
out of the way before any real harm could come to her, her lips burning from
Seth’s kiss. Looking down at the diamond ring on her finger, Sandra could
already feel the tears pouring down her face and closed her eyes tightly shut, shaking
her head. How could Seth Clearwater have imprinted on her? Jr
was supposed to be the one she thought, but that wasn’t the case and it broke
her heart.
“SETH, STOP IT!!”
Jr waited for a fraction of a second, seeing Seth had
temporarily looked over at Sandra, and that’s all it took. He tackled Seth to
the ground and began tearing at his throat, snapping his teeth, though Seth was
stronger than Jr gave him credit for. Jr’s teeth barely sank into Seth’s flesh, but it was deep
enough to draw the slightest bit of blood. Seth kicked him off and Jr landed on his paws, both wolves circling each other,
ready to pounce again.
The loudest roar echoed throughout the woods as a russet colored wolf leapt out
of the trees and stood between the two wolves.
'ENOUGH!’ Jacob used his alpha voice as both wolves instantly calmed down
against their will, Jacob glaring at the dark silver colored wolf that was Jr.
‘I don’t know what the hell is going on lately, but enough is ENOUGH!! Do you
two realize what could’ve happened to Sandra?! Fuck the imprinting shit for a
second; she could’ve been maimed like Sam did with Emily all those years ago!!
I don’t want to have to be the one to tell Kim and Jared their daughter was
shredded by two wolves from their own pack! As it is I have to patrol tonight
with Jared and I won’t be able to keep this from my thoughts. Both of you need
to leave NOW!!’
‘In case you didn’t hear your dad, Jake, I’m outta the pack and I’m not leaving
my fiancée alone just so this jerkoff can try moving
in on MY imprint.’
‘SHE’S NOT YOURS!!’
‘Keep telling yourself that, dude. She needs a real man in her life, not some
pathetic mutt looking for a love that’s not his!’ Jr
ignored Jacob’s warning growl and phased right in front of them, pulling his
shorts on, immediately going to Sandra’s side. “Sandra…”
Not sure what to think or believe anymore, Sandra broke away from Jr and ran inside the house, slamming the door shut.
Lacey frowned she could see he was limping slightly. She got closer to him as
he collapsed on the ground; she knelt down next to him. “I don’t know what you
were thinking Seth Clearwater. I know you love Sandra. But getting yourself
torn to bits by Jr is not going to help anything.”
Her small hands explored his fur covered body until she found the problem, his
shoulder had been dislocated. “This is going to hurt.” She stood on her knees
as she placed her hands on the shoulder in question as she pushed down
carefully and heard a loud pop. She watched as he jumped up and took off into
the trees hearing his howl moments later.
Lacey stood as she looked at Jr, suddenly becoming
very pissed off. “You told Seth, Sandra needs a real man. Well it’s definitely
not you. You’re a lot of things Jr Redson, But you’re definitely no man! Seth is more of a man
then you’ll ever be, because at least he’s not lying through his ass.” She
walked over and shoved him as hard as she could, “If you hate me so much just
kill me. I refuse to let you hurt my aunt or Seth anymore. I’ll see myself
hanged before I let you hurt me anymore. Do us both a favor and kill me and be
done with it. Otherwise, STOP.BEING.A.COWARD!”
“DON’T EVER TOUCH ME AGAIN, BLOODSUCKER!!” Jr roared
right in her face, watching what was left of the color drain from it as he
stalked toward her. He wasn’t too keen on being touched by a bloodsucking
monster, man or woman and could feel the fire shoot down his spine. “THAT PUP
SHOULD’VE NEVER CAME HERE AND TOUCHED MY FIANCEE!! I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU OR
ANYONE ELSE THINKS!! I’M GONNA WALK DOWN THE AISLE AND MARRY SOMEONE OF MY OWN
FUCKING KIND!! WHY DON’T YOU GET LOST AND LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE,
BLOODSUCKER?”
The fury in his eyes was enough to make anyone terrified, but Jr didn’t care, suddenly grabbing her forcefully by her
upper arms. “You want me to kill you, Lacey? Is that what it’s gonna take to
break this ridiculous assumption I imprinted on you?” He shoved her away and
watched as she landed on her ass in the ground, towering over her. “Even if I
wanted to kill you, which let me just say for the record I do, I won’t because
you are Jake’s daughter and Luca’s sister. Just stay away from me. STAY THE
HELL AWAY FROM ME!!!” He then tore through the woods and phased, clothes
shredding everywhere, wanting to get as far away from her as possible.
Jake scowled down at his daughter and then his scowl turned to Jr's retreating form. "Lacey you should not have
confronted him like that he could've seriously hurt you." Jake grabbed
Lacey's hand and pulled her up to her feet.
Lacey scoffed as she rolled her eyes and turned towards their home. "He
doesn't scare me dad. He's nothing but a big old bully. And he could've
seriously hurt Seth. Not that he didn't already. All this bullshit about
imprinting is just complete nonsense anymore. I don't understand how any of you
made the imprint work if all the imprints get out of the deal is a foul, moody,
temperamental wolf. Maybe I'm not supposed to get it. I know the way the
imprint works from being around you and mom. You feel everything she feels. It
kills you just being away from her for an hour. So how does it not bother Jr being away from me?"
"Lacey, Jr is so different than the other guys
in the pack, but he’s exactly like his father. They both have always had their
anger issues; even when they were just 16 and started phasing. Little things
would piss them off and they'd phase because of his anger. It looks like Paul
got himself under control but not so much with Jr." Jake gruffed out as he clenched his hands into two balls of
fists.
Jake was still trying to get his anger under control from when Jr and Seth were fighting too close to Sandra. Jake's scowl
returned to his handsome features as he looked back at Lacey. "You need to
promise me you won't confront him anymore; especially if you guys are alone. He
CAN and he WILL hurt you Lacey. He was trained to destroy vampires, just like I
was and just like Luca is being trained; just like all the guys in the pack.
You and your mother are my family, everyone in the pack use restraint; everyone
but Jr. He's never going to change. He's still the same volatile wolf he's
always been and always will be.”
Lacey turned to head home, when she got there, she saw Seth sitting on the
front porch with his head in his hands. Lacey jogged up as she gripped his
shoulder his head snapped up. “Seth, are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Seth shook his head negatively. “No I’m okay. Are you alright Lace? You
shouldn’t have messed with Jr; especially not after
we just got into a fight. He could’ve phased and hurt you badly. Or he could’ve
phased and killed you. Then Jake, Luca and I would have to kill him. Please
Lacey you have to promise me you won’t go by him anymore. You have to trust
that the imprint will work its magic and he’ll come to his senses.”
“I slept with Jr.” Lacey couldn’t help blurting it out.
“No big deal, you just have to promise me…I’m sorry what the hell did you just
say?”
“I - slept - with - Jr.” She forced it out the second time.
“What do you mean you slept with Jr? As in you took a
nap with him or you guys saw each other naked on an intimate level and not just
because he phased back from wolf to human in front of you.”
“I had sex with him. It was the most intense multiple rounds of sex I’ve ever
had in my entire life.” Lacey got the sniffles as she tried to control her
emotions, but it wasn’t happening. “And the next morning, we got into a fight
and left things terrible. A few weeks later at the bonfire Jr
walks up with Sandra and they announce their engagement.”
“I can’t believe you had sex with him Lacey…What the hell were you thinking?”
Lacey blinked as more tears slid down her cheeks as she stood up and watched as
Seth stood up and looked at her. He’d finally noticed she’d been crying. He
took a step towards her and reached out to touch her hand when she stepped away
from Seth.
“You can sit here and say he’ll come to his senses eventually, but that’s not
going to happen. And I was thinking it was nice to have someone who knows I’m a
hybrid vampire kiss and touch me and not be completely repulsed by what I am.
But then again I guess I was wrong because he would rather marry your imprint
then be with his own.”
Lacey walked into her house and effectively slammed the front door, locking it
behind her.
Chapter 11
Lacey hadn’t seen Jr for a few weeks.
Since her and Seth ended their conversation so badly the night she'd finally
told him she'd slept with Jr. She'd tried talking to him the following day, but
he was really pissed. What was she supposed to do? The guy who imprinted on her
showed interest and they couldn't ignore the pull to each other and it had just
happened.
Lacey had heard from some of the others in the pack that Seth was able to sneak
around Jr and see Sandra more. She was pleased that
Seth had been spending more time over at Sandra’s. Though she also knew Sandra
still wasn’t sure about anything because Jr’s lies
had her twisted inside. Luca had been patrolling with their father. Lacey had
taken to walking through the woods, she watched as a deer trotted by as she
jumped on it and carefully grabbed the antlers and broke its neck. Placing her
hands on it, “I’m sorry you had to lose your life today. You were a brave one
and lived a long healthy life. May your soul ascend into the heavens where you
will be at peace forever.” After she’d eaten her fill she buried the remains
under a large willow tree.
She could smell Jr. She couldn’t see him, only smell him. “I know you could
kill me if you wanted to. The truth of the matter is the same blood that runs
through the veins of everyone in the tribe runs through me and my brother. I
realize if both Luca and I had phased it would be a different story. Just for
the record. I have never killed anyone, I couldn’t even if I tried. And I don’t
have venom, which if I did I wouldn’t use it. I hate what I am. I’ve always
pushed myself to eat more human food and not blood or raw meat. Trying to make
myself something I’m not. In a perfect world we’d all be human and vampires and
wolves wouldn’t exist. I'd marry Seth and you and Sandra would be blissfully
happy without having to be miserable because you imp-...imprinted on a vampire
hybrid.”
Lace sighed heavily, “But it’s not a perfect world and no one ever said life
was fair…I’m half vampire, but I have a beating heart and a pulse, I have a
temper when provoked. I hate and I love. I feel it all. I can feel you right
now. The anger, pain, the hate you feel towards me. I don’t have to be near you
to feel everything your feeling. Ever since you imprinted-everything just feels
more intense…and I know this is the last thing you want to hear but…I’m sorry I
love you Jr. Actually I’m not sorry that I love you…I’m just sorry I can’t stop
it. And I’m sorry I’m not human enough for you.” A tear trickled down her cheek
as she headed back to the house.
Jr had watched her release the animal’s soul from a
distance and heard every word she said, but something was holding him back. He
wanted to go to her, to apologize, but that was his heart talking. His mind
kept screaming the horrid reminder of what she was. It didn’t help that Seth
was spending more time with Sandra and that pissed Jr
off to no avail, especially since he knew that was Seth’s imprint, but his
fiancée. Sandra had still agreed to walk down the aisle and marry him, which Jr was thankful for silently. In his heart though, he knew
marrying Sandra would be a big mistake because not only would it hurt her and
Seth, but himself and definitely Lacey as well.
Jr phased and headed back to Sandra’s, walking inside
the back door and tossed Seth out on his ass when he caught them in another lip
lock. “STAY AWAY FROM MY FIANCEE OR I’LL TEAR YOU APART!!” He slammed the door
shut, locked it and grabbed Sandra before she could protest, his mouth
devouring hers instantly. “Do you want him or me? Make your damn choice now,
Sandra.”
Sandra could feel the tears burning in her eyes because Jr’s
lips didn’t feel the same as Seth’s did, which broke her heart even more. “I…Jr I’m so confused right now, I need time…”
He shoved her away from him and extended his hand. “Give me back the ring
then.”
“Jr, please understand why this is hard for me…” Sandra
began crying, but it didn’t bother him in the slightest, his hand impatiently
waving at her. “I do want to marry you…” She whispered, lowering her head in
shame, her lips still burning from Seth’s kiss.
“Then you’ll stay away from Seth Clearwater and be totally devoted to me.” Jr gave her the ultimatum and Sandra felt her head snap up,
her eyes widening. “This is your only chance left, if you blow it next time
around, we’re done.”
‘I’m sorry Seth.’ She thought and walked into Jr’s
arms, kissing him the way she should’ve been kissing Seth and felt Jr carry her to the bedroom.
Jr stood on the porch and watch as Sandra took off to
work. Jr decided it was time to go see his dad. His
parents along with Sandra's parents had been gone on vacation for the last few
weeks and weren't aware of what was going on; but was pretty sure by now Jacob
or Sam had told them everything. They were bound to find out anyways...Right?
Jr couldn't help re-running the conversation he'd had
with Lacey the morning after their not so unfortunate coming together. He
always thought of it that way because even he couldn't deny when he was with
Sandra it wasn't the same as the night he was with Lacey. He couldn't deny that
no matter how many times he and Sandra made love...It wasn't the same. It
didn't feel right and it wasn't as satisfying as it was with Lacey. On more
than a few occasions he had to bite his own tongue hard to keep from moaning
out Lacey's name. Yea cause that just wouldn't kill the mood with his fiancé or
anything would it?
Jr jogged to his parents place, his dad was unloading
the car when he arrived as he helped his father grab more bags and carry them
into the house. "I think you're mother is officially trying to force me to
start phasing again so I can get some of my wolf strength back."
Jr couldn't help but chuckle as they finished up
dropping the suitcases and other things in the kitchen. His mother had said
she'd take care of everything if they'd unload it. Jr
stood back and watched the exchange between his parents. His dad smacked her on
the ass as she giggled like a school girl. They'd been together as long as all
the other older generation of shape shifters and still acted like they were in
high school.
"Dad don't porn slap mom in front of me ok. That's a creeper move."
Paul shrugged off his son. "When you've been together as long as your
mother and I have, it's not creepy to still have a healthy sexual appetite. And
Believe me your mother keeps me busy on a nightly basis."
Jr covered his ears as he fake gagged his way out the
back door. "OH MY GOD MY EARS!"
Paul chuckled as he pulled Gaby into his arms and leaned over kissing her lips
softly as she giggled into his chest. "Sure cause it's always my fault
that we can't make it through the evening news...I'm going to get some laundry
started and then I'll start dinner. Anything in particular you have a taste
for?"
"Just you my love. Just you." Paul growled in her ear making her
squeal and blush all at the same time; he loved how she still maintained her
shy side even after all these years. Paul laughed hard from the back of his
throat when she took a swipe at his arm. "I'm going to go see what's on
the boys mind. There's something wrong." Gaby nodded as she watched Paul
disappear out the same back door their son had just fled through not more than
two minutes prior.
Paul walked over and noticed his sons whole demeanor
was different. He was battling inner demons and couldn't figure out what it was
from. "Okay kid what's going on in your head?"
Jr rolled his eyes at his dad for calling him kid.
His eyebrows lifted to his hair line. "Really pop?" Jr smirked ruefully when his dad gave him a warning growl
for the 'pop'. They were even now.
Jr pushed away from the tree he had been leaning
against as he rubbed his hands up and then down his face a few times, trying to
figure out the right way to ask this sensitive question. He knew if he didn't
word it right his dad would damn near take his head off his shoulders and he
liked where his head was at the moment.
"I know this is probably a really personal question dad, but I have to
ask. Did you accept the imprint right away...with mom I mean?"
Paul lowered his eyes to the ground. How could he possibly tell his son he was
a giant asshole to his wife...the mother of his children when he first
imprinted?
How do you tell your son the horrible words and hateful things you said to the
woman who was now the long of his life all those years ago?
Chapter 12
Paul cleared his throat as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Jr...I...Well...I made a lot of mistakes because I was only
sixteen when I imprinted. I was an asshole to pretty much everyone and the
slightest difficulty with someone and I would basically burst into a wolf and
my temper would get the best of me. I'm not proud of the way I treated your
mother when I first imprinted on her. I was mean and said terrible things to
her. I let my volatile temper and quick tongue do the talking for me. and I
hurt her on more than a few occasions with the words and actions that came from
me."
Paul ran his hands through his hair, mimicking his sons own gestures. "I
don't know how your mother ever forgave me for any of it. Because by my own
account she shouldn't even be with me. She cried endless tears and I felt every
one of them fall out of her beautiful eyes. In the end I had to realize there
was no one in my life better for me then her. It took me a while to earn her
trust and her love. And I eventually did. But there's not a day that goes by
that I don't regret every hateful word or action that came from me towards her.
Why are you asking me all of this?"
Jr sighed heavily. "I did something pretty bad
dad. Actually it was...well it was a pretty pricky
thing to do. Honestly I don't even know how to remedy it. The night you and mom
left a few weeks ago for your vacation with Jared and Kim; I sort of got to
know Lacey Black on an...Extremely intimate level."
Paul quirked an eyebrow at is offspring. "Meaning what exactly?"
Jr cringed. "We...ya know. We had sex. I don't
even understand why I feel the need to tell you this; but it was amazing. I've
had plenty of sex with other girls and never felt even a fraction of what I
felt with Lacey. Mind blowing. I thought for sure the house was going to
explode every time either one of us had an orgasm. It was intense and wonderful
and I can't stop thinking about the words spoke between us the following
morning and since then I've been so hateful towards her. Trying to use the fact
she is a vampire to harness my anger and rage towards her. And even worse; a
few weeks after that, I told everyone at the bonfire that I imprinted on Sandra
and not Lacey. Billy Black told me if I couldn't be honest with my family pack
that I wasn't allowed in the pack."
Jr watched as his father eyebrows came together like
a zipper in a scowl. "You did what?" Paul growled at his son. His
voice was low and he watched as his father's body began to shake slightly. His
arms were by his sides but his hands were balled into fists.
The time for coming clean was now as Jr swallowed
hard.
"I told the pack and imprints, I imprinted on Sandra and not Lacey. A few
days ago Seth and I got into a fight, because he's the one who really imprinted
on Sandra." Jr. sunk down. If he had been in wolf form right now his ears
would be back and his tail would be firmly between his legs, just as Lacey
predicted. He was about to get the disappointed look and ass chewing of a life
time. Not that he didn't deserve it, because he knew in the pit of his stomach
he did. He was in the wrong. He not only lied to the whole pack, but he lied to
a pack members daughter and also to his own imprint.
"Let me see if I understand you correctly...You lied to your whole pack.
Your family. Your brothers who have been your best friends growing up. The
people who raised you and loved you since the day you was born. Then you turned
around and lied to your mother's and my best friends' daughter about imprinting
on her. Then you went back and lied to your imprint. Then you got into a fight
with your fake imprints real wolf plus you've been keeping Sandra from Seth
this whole time, cause Seth a monumental amount of pain. All because your
imprint is a vampire hybrid?"
"You sort of forgot the part where I was kicked out of the pack."
"No...No I didn't forget that part. I was just really hoping it wasn't
true."
"No it's true. Dad what am I going to do? I never meant for any of this to
happen. It just sort of did." Jr ran his fingers
through his hair as he leaned against the tree again and slid down, sitting his
rear on the ground.
"I'm not even sure what to say to you right now son. I really don't have a
clue. I have no advice. I need to get out of here before I tear into you. You
tell your mother I had to go for a run and not to hold supper. If she asks you
might want to tell her because she certainly doesn't need to find out from
someone else in the tribe."
Jr nodded solemnly. His dad, he could handle. His
mother? Not so much. If she started off pissed she'd end up crying and his dad
might re-locate his ass up between his shoulder blades for making his mother
cry. Jr watched as his dad phased and tore into the
trees at to speeds; he'd shredded his clothes knowing he was too pissed off to
strip beforehand.
Gaby walked out onto the porch when she heard a wolf let out strangled cry. She
knew that wolf howl. She knew it was Paul. That similar sound came out of him
the night he'd realized he'd almost lost her for good. Her eyes ventured over
and spotted her son sitting with his back against a tree in the front yard. She
let her feet led her to her son.
Gaby squatted down as her hand went under his chin and lifted it so she could
see his nearly blackened eyes that reminded her so much of his father. "Jr what's wrong? Why do you look so sad?"
"I really messed up mom."
Gaby sat next to her son in the grass under the shade tree as he explained what
had been going on for the last few weeks while her and Paul had been on
vacation with Kim and Jared. Gaby was furious with her son, but on the other
hand she knew him imprinting on a vampire hybrid wasn't going to be the easiest
thing.
"Please yell or scream at me mom. Tell me I'm a disappointment as a son. I
deserve whatever you or dad do to me. If dad comes back and tears into me,
please don't be mad at him. I really do deserve it. I've been so stupid about
all of this."
Gaby took her sons hand in both of hers as she kissed it. "Jr you're not a disappointment as a son. You're the best
thing your father ever gave me. You may upset me and disappoint me with the
things you chose to do to the people of your pack. But you've got to rectify
it. You've got to make it right. You're the only one who can fix this. You need
to start with Sandra by telling her the truth and pointing her in the direction
of the wolf who she rightly should be with. Then you
need to apologize to your pack and family for the lies. Last but certainly not
least...You need to repair things with Lacey."
Jr knew what he had to do. Now it was just a matter
of getting up the courage to do the right thing.
Lacey walked out of the hospital after her shift was over. She hadn't seen
anyone in the pack for a few days and was still not talking to Seth. Lately
she'd been forcing herself to eat more human food, especially when she was at
the hospital with wondering eyes around. Can’t exactly pull out a raw piece of
meat and gnaw on it in front of everyone. The woods behind the hospital went
straight to La Push so it was a nice walk home for Lacey.
She saw a deer run by and knew she needed to hunt but figured she’d do it the
following morning before she left for the hospital. Suddenly she was thrown
against a tree with such immense force as blood red eyes peered down at her. A
tight hand around her throat and two accomplices, one on each side of her
holding her arms against the tree.
“You smell like a vampire, but you smell like a mutt as well.”
A fiery redhead bent down, wearing skintight black leather pants with a cropped
black top that showed most of her mid-drift and the tops of her breasts. “Mmm
she smells like one too.” She chuckled and ran her finger down the hybrid’s
cheek, knowing exactly who she was, eyes flashing evilly. “We need to get her
out of here immediately.”
“Morgan, are you sure…?”
“SHUT UP and do as I say!!” Morgan ordered with a soft chuckle, licking her
lips hungrily and ran her finger down the man’s chest coaxingly, batting her
beautiful eyes at him. “I’ll make it worth your while if you do as I say,
Maxwell.”
He couldn’t deny that if he tried and nodded, his dead heart nearly leaping in
his throat.
Lacey could feel the absolute hate and malice running through these vampires.
She hadn’t hunted in almost 3 weeks; she was too weak to even fight them off.
Visions of another redhead flashed into her mind. It was someone definitely
related to the redhead currently gripping her throat with a tight force. Lacey
tried struggling against the hands and arms that held her against the tree.
“What do you want with me? I don’t even know you. Let me go and my family won’t
kill you, when they catch you.” She was terrified on the inside but figured
tough talk and meaningless threats might actually do her some good.
“Clever little beast you are, but I have news for you,” Her mouth was right by
Lacey’s ears, drinking in her fear that radiated from the hybrid. “Mmm your
family won’t know where you are and only when I allow you to see them again
will you do just that.” She snapped her fingers as her lover handed over a
piece of paper, Lacey’s handwriting exact on it. “Dear mom and dad, I’m sorry
to do this to you, but my heart is broken over what’s happened with Jr. I
didn’t mean to be the filthy disgusting half-breed that I am.” She laughed
wickedly, winking over at Maxwell with a grin, her eyes never however never
leaving Lacey’s. “Do not come and find me, for I have vanished and won’t return
for a very long time. I love you both and please tell my brother that I had no
choice in doing this. All my love, Lacey.”
She finished reading the letter and handed it back to Maxwell. “You know what
to do.” She watched as he took off through the woods at top speed, making sure
to hide his scent and Morgan backhanded Lacey, watching her body slip down the
tree trunk. “Do not fight this.” She hissed and injected a needle into the
woman’s arm, the serum flowing through her veins strong enough to knock even a
powerful hybrid out. It didn’t help Lacey had been starving herself and now she
was paying for it. “Good girl.” She whispered once Lacey was out for the count
and lifted her up, disappearing through the woods and headed out of town.
Chapter 13
Jr helped Sandra all he could
with the wedding preparations, just wanting this to be done and over with. The
pack wouldn’t leave them alone and Jr was getting
tired of it, not believing imprinting existed. It was a fabrication of the
Quileute tribe and since Jr wasn’t a part of the pack
anymore, there was no reason for him to believe in anything about it. He had
planned on moving Sandra away from La Push just as soon as they were married,
though he hadn’t told her. He’d found the perfect place in Canada far away. But
he was suddenly having a change of heart.
Jr knew Sandra and Seth we’re secretly seeing each
other still, Jr knew she belonged with Seth and not
him. And it was time that he started making things right with everyone. And
there was no good time like the present! Jr swallowed
hard as he sighed heavily. He walked inside Sandra’s house and saw her lying on
the couch, one hand placed on her stomach, the other arm thrown over her head.
He smiled and bent down, kissing her softly on the forehead, waking her up.
Sandra sat up as her eyes blinked into focus as she saw Jr
sitting on the coffee table across from the couch she had fallen asleep on. Jr stood up and pushed the palm of his hands down his cargo
short covered thighs. “We need to talk Sandra.”
Sandra stood up and tried to wrap her arms around his neck as Jr grabbed her wrists gently and stopped her.
Sandra looked into his eyes. “Jr what’s going on?”
Jr cleared his throat as his eyes drifted to the
floor and then back up to Sandra’s beautiful face. “I lied to you. And I can’t
keep lying to you. I love you but I’m not in love with you. There is no way we
should be getting married. I know you feel the pull to Seth. It’s why you still
haven’t stopped seeing him.”
Sandra’s eyes widened in shock when Jr said that to
her. She was sure she had been sneaky enough with Seth on the sly that Jr wouldn’t find out.
Jr chuckled hard. “I could smell him all over the
house Sandra.”
“Am I really Seth’s imprint?”
Jr nodded as much as he wanted to say no and still
marry her, he knew it was wrong and he knew he didn’t feel anything for her; at
least not what he felt for Lacey that seemed to be taking over all his senses.
“Unfortunately for me; yes you are Seth’s imprint. I’ve been lying to you and
I’m sorry Sandra. I should’ve been honest with you. If you hate me for the rest
of our lives then I fully deserve it. I’ll stay away from you and Seth from now
on.”
“Jr, I don’t want you to disappear from my life.
We’ve practically known each other since we were born because our parents are
such good friends. All those family vacations. Not to mention we were friends
first. I would like to continue to still be friends. I know it probably going
to take you a while to get back in the good graces of the rest of the pack and
Seth and Lacey, but I love you because you were my best friend first and
nothing else second.”
Jr pulled Sandra into his arms as he hugged her
tight. He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll see you around. Go talk to Seth.
I’m sure he’ll be expecting you.” Sandra nodded as she kissed Jr’s cheek and watched as he took off into the trees.
Luca had been watching the clock on the wall and was supposed to meet Lacey at
their parents place an hour ago, he’d been calling her cell phone like mad, but
she didn’t answer. She never not answered her cell. Luca knocked on his
parent’s bedroom door, thankful for sound proof walls in the house; he
definitely didn’t want to hear anything they might’ve been doing. Even with
wolf hearing he would’ve had to use massive amounts of cotton balls to keep out
the noises they made.
A muffled ‘Come in’ signaled to him it was safe to enter and he wouldn’t see
anything now the might wrap his fragile mind 5
seconds from opening the door. Luca stepped inside and saw his mother with her
head resting on her father’s chest, holding onto each other. Luca gagged on the
inside but cleared his throat, “Lacey isn’t here yet. She should’ve been here
at least an hour ago. I have a bad feeling dad. Something’s not right. I called
her a couple of days ago and she never called me back.” He shook his head
negatively.
Jacob slowly sat up along with Renesmee, both of them looking equally worried.
“Your mother was just voicing her concern to me.” He sighed, having started
talking like the Cullen’s, and mentally slapped himself with a roll of his
eyes. “Sorry. I’ll go out and look for her. Go outside I’ll meet you there.”
When Luca left, he turned his blackened eyes to Renesmee, running his finger
down her cheek. “Something isn’t right; I have to go find her.”
“I know, I’m going to go to my parents, I think she might’ve gone there since
she’s so close with Emmett and Rosalie.” Renesmee kissed his lips softly;
sighing because she didn’t want to leave this bed, knowing it was Jacob’s only
night off from patrolling. “I love you.”
“Love you more, Nessie.” He then left the bedroom and went outside, phasing
with Luca instantly as they both headed into the woods. Jacob decided they
would cover more ground with more help and let out the howl, wondering if Jr felt something was wrong with Lacey. The imprinting gave
them an unbreakable connection.
Renesmee arrived at the Cullen residence and stopped short, seeing the look on
her mother and father’s faces. Bella had tears streaming down her face while
Edward looked as though he wanted to either be sick or kill someone. Emmett
held Rosalie while she cried against him, blaming herself for whatever
happened. Renesmee knew it was because of Lacey and immediately rushed over, tears
forming in her own eyes. “Mom, dad?”
“Lacey’s gone.” Emmett whispered when Bella and Edward couldn’t say anything,
too distraught over the loss of their granddaughter. “She left this behind in
her room.”
Shakily snatching the paper, Renesmee’s eyes sifted over the words, her heart
shattering into pieces. “LACEY!!!” She let out in an ear piercing scream that
caused everyone to cover their ears with their hands, dropping to her knees,
knowing Jacob would hear it.
Emmett growled, “This is not Lacey’s style! She wouldn’t just leave. She’s
never been happy as a vampire but why would she just up and leave now?”
Renesmee couldn’t speak she just wrapped her arms around herself. Emmett was
right though. She wouldn’t just up and leave. Her connection to her family was
too strong. Sure she’d been going through some stuff lately, but she usually
had a way of working things out when people just left her alone. She rubbed the
palm of her hand across her forehead; she was hoping Jake went to Jr to see if he could feel anything. She wanted to rip his
spine from his body. It was his fault. It was her fault. It was everyone’s
fault for not paying closer attention. ‘Where are you baby girl?’
Jacob was there in record time and pulled his shorts on, going to Renesmee’s
side, who simply handed him Lacey’s goodbye letter. “WHAT?” He roared, groaning
when Bella slapped him hard across the back of the head.
“Don’t yell Jake! This won’t solve anything!” Bella chastised, Edward’s arm
wrapping around her waist instantly, both of them looking just as worried as
everyone else. “Now let’s think, where would she go if she did run away?”
Jacob had no idea, his head suddenly snapping up when a twig snapped into the
forest. Within seconds, he caught the spy and yanked him out into the open,
staring into the sorrow angry filled eyes of Paul Redson
Jr. “What the hell are you doing here?” He demanded angrily, blaming Jr for everything that Lacey went through lately and her
reasoning for taking off. “You have three seconds and then I’m ripping you
apart!”
“Where is she?”
Jr ignored Jacob’s threat, looking around at
everyone. “I don’t care about what any of you think of me, but where the hell
is she? I can’t feel her anymore. I can’t feel her pain, her sorrow, anything…”
Jr felt completely and totally lost; beginning to
pace back and forth, clenching and unclenching his fists.
“WHERE IS SHE?”
Chapter 14
Luca growled, “What the fuck do you care for now all of a sudden?”
As Luca lurched at Jr, but was stopped by his mother.
He glared at Jr, “You didn’t give two shits about her
when you imprinted on her months ago and now suddenly something’s wrong and you
want to come running in and be a hero. Sometimes I wish I was the hybrid in the
family because I wouldn’t give a shit I would drain your ass dry. You’re an
evil, loathsome, heartless no good rotten mutt. My sister should’ve been the
one rejecting you, because why would she ever want to be with a heartless
bastard…But she couldn’t hurt you. Do you know she even told Seth she’d kill
herself for you just so the imprint could break and you could be happy because
you could be with Sandra and wouldn’t have to feel the pain of rejection? You
make me wish I was never born with the wolf gene.”
Jr knew he deserved everything Luca said to him, but
he became defensive, the hothead trait instantly flaring. “Fuck you, Luca. It’s
not my fault I imprinted on your sister, okay? She’s a hybrid bloodsucker,
she’s not human. I don’t care if her heart does beat, she’s NOT for me! I
figured I’d come see if you needed any help considering she is my imprint. And
she won’t kill herself for anyone, she’s too strong for that…” Jr trailed off, knowing he was blowing smoke out of his
ass, but couldn’t they understand how hard this was for him? He didn’t imprint
on one of his kind! “Look, I never wanted to imprint, I don’t know why the
stupid Quileute God’s chose her for me, but they did and…she’s in trouble. I
can’t feel her anymore. I used to feel her pain and I knew whenever she was
crying. She’s also been hurting herself, but I don’t exactly know what she’s
been doing. All I know is that she wouldn’t break all of your hearts by running
away just because of a mutt like me.”
Luca scowled, “Then you’re stupider then I thought you were Paul Redson Jr. Growing up didn’t you learn anything? The God’s
chose my sister as your imprint for a reason. No one knows what the reasons
are, they just pick them. It’s a fuckin’ challenge, to make you open whatever
you have left as a heart and whatever you have left of a brain. She’s hurting
herself by forcing herself to eat only human food. She hasn’t hunted in
weeks…Hell she might not have hunted longer than that. She hates what she is.
But if you actually got your head out of your ass, you could see it. My sister
has the biggest heart and soul. Bigger than anyone in this house. Even bigger
then my Sandra. Whose spirit you’ve been killing and you’re killing Seth but
you don’t care.”
Luca couldn’t stop the ferocious growl that came out shaking the windows in the
Cullen house, “Don’t you get it? If you were meant to imprint on Sandra then
you would have. All you can think about is yourself and imprinting on someone
who is not your own kind. My dad’s blood runs through Lacey’s veins. She’s a
lot more forgiving then I am. Because if something happens to my sister because
of your selfishness, I’ll kill you. I might not be as big as you, but I sure as
hell won’t go down without avenging my sister’s broken heart and soul. This is
your fault. You was her protector. You haven’t done anything but hurt her.”
Luca took off out of the house, phasing before he even hit the trees.
Jr glared back at the little punk who decided to
leave the fight before it even started, snarling. “Coward.” He growled, wanting
to rip Luca’s heart out of his chest and stomp on it. Was it his fault he
imprinted unwillingly? Was it his fault for the rest of his life he wouldn’t
love anyone more than a bloodsucker?! Jr held his
hand up when Jacob went to say something, shaking his head. “Shut up.” He
ordered, not caring if Jacob was the alpha of the pack because he was no longer
a part of it. “I never should’ve come here. I should’ve stayed away, but I
thought I could be helpful. I was wrong and I know how all of you feel about me
right now and honestly, I don’t give a flying fuck what any of you think. You
can believe and think what you want, but you don’t have the SLIGHTEST clue of
what I’m going through right now and how much pain I’M in!”
Jacob actually scoffed, shaking his head back at Jr. “I don’t know how you feel
huh? Did you somehow forget in that little pea brain of yours that I also
imprinted on a vampire hybrid? Did you think for ONE second I was happy about
it at first? Hell, I hated Nessie. I hated her because I thought I was in love
with another woman, her own mother. I thought she was killing Bella on purpose
and I was damned near ready to end her existence! DON’T YOU GET IT, JR? The
moment I imprinted on Nessie, everything vanished, every negative thought I
ever had about her being a bloodsucking monster, a creation from hell, was
gone."
Jake sighed heavily, "The moment I locked eyes with her, I knew she
belonged with me forever, but you haven’t ONCE locked eyes with Lacey. Not ONCE
have you just stood there and looked into her eyes or you would know without a
shadow of a fucking doubt that she is the one for you! She is your damn imprint
and Luca is right, you were her protector and you FAILED! So don’t come here
with your sob story because it’s not going to work. I know exactly what you’re
going through, but you need to understand something: if ANYTHING happens to
Lacey, so help me on the Quileute God’s and the entire tribe, I will end you.
And I will rip you apart like I would a bloodsucker, excluding present company.
And that’s not a threat, Jr Redson,
it’s a DAMN PROMISE!!” He then walked away with Renesmee in the woods, needing
to breathe before he ended up following through with what he just said.
Renesmee stopped as she looked at back Jr. She looked over at Jasper and nodded
and he knew what she wanted and nodded back as he started controlling Jr’s emotions; not wanting Jr to
go ballistic on her. She pulled away from Jake as she sent him a look asking
him to trust her. She swallowed hard as she walked up to Jr,
“Give me your hand…Please.” Jr started to growl at
her and she rolled her eyes, “Just trust me for three seconds and give me your
damn hand.”
She watched as he reluctantly held his hand out and she slowly reached out and
grabbed his wrist, her warm skin touching his. Her temperature was a few
degrees less than a normal wolf temperature; she placed his hand palm down over
her heart. Her free hand went up and touched his face.
“I know you’re hurting Jr. Your whole life you were taught to hate vampires and
kill them, I get that. But from the day Lacey was born we instilled in her that
killing and hate was wrong. The first time we took her hunting Jake had to kill
the deer and she cried the whole time. I haven’t said much about the imprinting
because what do I know? Everyone is different.”
Renesmee blinked a couple of times, “But Lacey is special and I’m not saying it
just because she’s my daughter. I’m saying it because she took everything we
taught her in life and puts it to use in her job now. Carlisle taught her
everything she needs to know about being a wonderful doctor. She’s been helping
him save lives, left and right for the last couple of months at the hospital.
And as much as she would love to make you happy, she can’t because she doesn’t
know how to make you happy. Staying away from you; she’s done it. At this point
she doesn’t know what to do anymore. But you need to take a long look at Sandra
and Seth. Sandra may love you but she’s not in love with you. And that is a big
difference. She longs to be with Seth. Just like Lacey longs to be with you,
but stays away. Her heart beats, her skin is warm, she thinks, she feels and
she loves like no one in the world. She’d rather make everyone else around her
happy than herself if you haven’t noticed.”
Renesmee blinked a few stray tears out. The whole time she touched Jr’s cheek she was transferring images of Lacey from the
first day she was born until from earlier in the day when she left for work.
She wanted him to see it all. “I’m sorry I took up so much of your time. I just
wanted you to see everything you’ve been blind too.” Nessie pulled her hands
away from Jr as she turned and continued to walk away
with Jake.
Jr simply stood there for what seemed like an
eternity after Renesmee and Jacob left, along with the Cullen’s, slowly looking
around. He gritted his teeth, the anger consuming him, but for some reason Jr couldn’t phase. His heart was split in two and he knew
he was making a huge mistake by pushing Lacey away, by ignoring the imprint. He
was stupid; he could feel the pain radiating through her body every time they
had sex because she longed for it to be Seth instead of him. Imprinting sucked,
Jr didn’t like it and, for once in his life, he hated
being what he was. A fur ball with a bad temper who
was selfish and conceded, not caring about others feelings. All he wanted to do
was find Lacey and look in her eyes the way Jacob did with Renesmee, to see if
what Jacob said was true.
“Where are you, Lacey?” He whispered to the darkness that surrounded him,
knowing he had to find her to set things right.
Chapter 15
Her head felt extremely foggy. As her eyes slowly fluttered open.
The darkness around her was almost so dark she couldn’t make anything out. She
tried to move but was suddenly aware she was shackled to a cinder block wall.
Around her wrists and ankles and several around her waist, legs and upper
chest. Her long normally wavy jet black hair was so curly from the moisture in
the room she was currently chained to the wall in. She could smell blood and
dead carcass decay. She was a foul smell. Lacey couldn’t imagine what was going
on. All she knew was she wanted to go home. She wanted to go home and shower.
She felt dirty from head to toe and couldn’t imagine how long she’d been
missing. Her parents and Luca had to of been sick with worry. She was trying to
struggle against the iron restraints, and they cut into her wrists but wouldn’t
budge even a little. She sighed heavily as she hung her head. She was so stupid
for not hunting. She would’ve never been in this position had she just hunted
when she got off work. She let the reality that she’d probably never see her
family again set in. But she also knew her dad would never stop looking.
“Ahhh you’re finally awake.” A feminine voice sounded, causing Lacey’s head to
snap up, a tsk following. “My you are quite the sight.” She chuckled wickedly
and unlocked the iron door, stepping inside, kicking all of the human body
parts away from her with a sick smirk. This is where she kept the remains of
her victims, which Lacey would sooner or later become one. “Now then, I suppose
you’re wondering what on earth you’re doing here, yes?” She stepped into the
moonlight, the fiery red hair glinting as a pair of wicked red eyes locked with
Lacey’s golden ones.
“I suppose I do owe you somewhat of an explanation so I’ll make this quick.”
She grabbed Lacey by the throat and squeezed, her nails digging into the flesh,
loving how much fear leaked from the defenseless woman. “Your father, Edward
Cullen, murdered my mother. Does the name Victoria ring a bell to you?” When
Lacey’s eyes widened, Morgan smirked wickedly, eyes flashing dangerously.
“That’s right Renesmee Cullen; I’m Morgan, daughter of Victoria and Riley.”
Lacey remembered the stories her parents, Uncle Quil and Uncle Embry had told
her about growing up and even giggled when Seth bragged about killing Riley
Biers. He was only 15 at the time, but was also the smallest and youngest in
the pack. But he’d been so proud that he killed Riley on his own.
“I’m not Renesmee Cullen…” Before she could say another word she felt the sting
of the back hand that Morgan gave her as she squeezed her throat tighter. She
knew she should’ve left La Push the minute Jr denied
the imprint. In the back of her mind she kept thinking about leaving just to
try and make herself happy. But always knew it would be no use. Her family
would miss her and she would miss them terribly. She felt Morgan tighten the
shackles around her wrists as she squeaked out in pain she smelled the red
liquid as it slid down her forearms. Completely disgusted when Morgan licked
the blood from her skin.
“Do not lie to me, Renesmee. It won’t get you anywhere.” Morgan hissed, tasting
the hybrid blood and found that it was surprisingly delicious. Being part
vampire, she figured the blood would taste horrible, but Morgan couldn’t help
testing the waters. She was glad she had and licked away another dribble of
blood that leaked from her wrist. She had Renesmee in her grasp and nothing was
going to stop her from taking the revenge for her mother and father’s death.
“I was planning on coming down here and taking mercy on you by killing you
quickly, but if you insist on lying to me,” She paused and dug her nails deeper
into the woman’s neck, growling angrily. “I might have to take you apart limb
by limb. So why don’t you just be honest with me and tell me your name,
Renesmee Cullen.” Morgan had no idea this wasn’t Renesmee, but instead
Renesmee’s daughter or the fact that Renesmee was married to the alpha in the
pack from La Push. All she knew was that she was going to kill this woman and
avenge her mother, having had a very hard childhood without her.
Luca barged through the door so hard at Carlisle and Esme’s he nearly sent the
door flying off its hinges as he cringed when his father growled at him,
“Sorry!”
Nessie looked up at her son, “What is it sweetheart?”
Luca smiled “I can feel her. I can’t believe I’m still connected with my twin.
I thought since I phased I stopped feeling her, but I can feel her…She’s still
alive.”
Emmett stood up, “Are you sure Luca?”
Luca nodded, “As sure as I can be. Lacey and I have always had the strange twin
connection. When my appendix busted in grade school, Lacey got sick to her
stomach and puked on the principle. And when she got that concussion the first
time she fell out of the tree when she was learning to climb, I passed out from
it. She’s still alive.”
Jacob knew that if Luca could feel Lacey then Jr damn
sure could. “I’ll be back.” He kissed Renesmee quickly and ran out of the house
like his pants were on fire. He jumped off of the front porch and phased as
soon as he hit the tree line, flying to Jr’s as fast
as he could.
Renesmee could feel the anger coming from her husband; she just knew he was
tearing into something or someone possibly. She looked at Luca, “When did you
feel her?”
Luca smiled softly, “I just started feeling her about fifteen minutes ago. I
don’t know what’s going on but I can definitely feel her.”
Renesmee stood up as she shooed her son out of the house, “Luca honey we need
to find your dad. I fear he’s about to do something bad. And him I can
definitely feel.”
Sandra couldn’t have been happier, immediately accepting Seth’s proposal to
marriage. Even with all the craziness of Lacey’s disappearance, Seth couldn’t
help making Sandra his completely as soon as Jr
called off the wedding.
Nobody had seen Jr in the past week since and Jacob
had actually started to worry the man had done something stupid, knowing
Lacey’s disappearance was killing him on the inside slowly. That just made
Jacob run even faster, arriving at Jr’s and didn’t
notice anything, no movement inside whatsoever. Jacob walked into Jr’s place and found him lying face down on the couch. Jake
wasn’t sure if he was dead or sleeping until he saw him breathing.
Jacob shoved Jr’s shoulder a little. Jr moved around as he looked up and when he locked eyes
with Lacey’s father he jumped off the couch and stood toe to toe with Jacob.
“If you want to save your imprint; who just happens to be my daughter, then get
yourself together and get to the Cullen’s.” Jacob growled as his chest was
rising and falling.
Jr watched as Jacob was about to leave when he
clamped a hand on his shoulder, Jacob turned his glaring brown orbs towards Jr.
“Get your hand off of me; before I remove it from your wrist.” Jacob’s voice
strained to keep control.
Jr scowled. “Look I know I was an ass! And I’m sorry.
And I also know that Lacey going missing is my fault. It’s why I showed up at
the Cullen’s last week. I want to help find her. I want to make things right
with her. I want to give the imprint a real shot. I lied to my friends, my
family and my pack because I thought I was right. It wasn’t until after I
talked to my parents that snapped me into reality. I was so wrong for doing the
things I did. I apologized to Seth ad also Sandra. They’ve both forgiven me,
but I need to apologize to Lacey and I can’t exactly do that if I can’t find
her. If we don’t find her I’ll never forgive myself. And I’d let you tear me
apart, because that’s what I deserve.”
Jacob just nodded. He couldn’t say anything. He waited for Jr
to get himself together and they ran to Jr’s parent’s
house and got his father and Jared.
The rest of the pack had gathered at the Cullen’s by the time Jacob, Jared,
Paul and Jr had returned. Jacob decided he was going
to put out a search party. Jr had said he could feel
the pull in a certain direction and they knew they had to follow it.
Embry made Leah promise to stay home. She’d officially given up phasing so they
could start a family. Leah scowled as she watched them run off into the trees.
Seth saw into Luca and Jake’s mind, ‘She was supposed to go to the movies with
me tonight. I’ve been trying to call her for the last hour. The last time I
spoke to her she was on her lunch break, eating a sandwich.’ Luca felt sick to
his stomach, ‘Oh God dad…Lacey hasn’t hunted in weeks. She won’t be able to
fight off anyone.’
Seth growled, ‘What do you mean she hasn’t been hunting…What the hell has she
been doing for food?’
‘Forcing herself to eat human food. Think about it Seth. You’re her best friend
you know her almost as good as I do. What is the one thing she’s said her whole
life.’
‘We got into a fight a few weeks ago and we haven’t spoken since. I’ve been
such a jerk.’ Seth whined, ‘She doesn’t want to be a vampire. She can’t
honestly believe if she stops hunting and eats nothing but human food the
vampire part of her will go away. Damn it Lacey!’ Seth groaned inwardly. ‘Jake
we gotta find her.’
'Don’t you think I’m aware of that, Seth?' Jacob growled, running even faster
and harder through the woods, feeling Nessie’s fear
for their daughter’s safety. 'She’s going to regret running away if that’s what
she did.' He vowed darkly, ignoring Seth and Luca’s growls as they continued
sifting through the woods.
‘Will you all please shut up? I can concentrate on the directional pull when
you guys aren’t busy whining in my head.’ Jr growled
out.
Jr pushed his fur covered feet to move faster as he
started running and pushed past Jacob. Jacob growled and snapped at him, but Jr ignored him and kept pushing to the front of the pack.
Chapter 16
Stupid – Stupid – STUPID! How could she be so stupid? How could she
be so utterly stupid to not feed to keep up her strength?
The shackles were digging into her wrists and she knew they were scraping the
bone now.
Various bit marks were on her arms and a couple on her neck, shoulders and
collar bones. The pain was unbearable at some points and at others she was too
tired to care.
Lacey couldn’t remember the last time she felt so run down or drained. She felt
so tired; she wanted to sleep but the woman holding her captive wouldn’t allow
it. Every time she started to fall asleep, Morgan would send one of her
henchman in to feed off of her. She was immune to their venom, but they could
still drink her blood.
The only person she had on her mind was Jr. It was a stupid fantasy to hope he
would turn into her knight in shining armor, but it was the only wish she had
right now; other than just being safe with her parents and Luca.
“Oh my dear are you not feeling up to being the princess everyone in the Cullen
Clan made you out to be?” Morgan’s long index fingernail caught on the bottom
of Lacey’s chin and pulled her head up, so she could look her in the eyes.
“You’re a disgusting little rotten beast; not even fit to be called a vampire.
Hybrid indeed…You might be half human, half vampire, but your wholly
grotesque.”
Lacey watched as she licked her red painted lips and primped her red curly hair
in the mirror in the cell.
Who keeps a mirror in a prisoner’s cell just to primp?
Clearly it would be deeply disturbed individuals.
Yup that pretty much fit Morgan’s whole vampire motif. Not to mention her
followers.
Great now Lacey was answering her own questions in her head.
Morgan turned around to face Lacey as she smiled wickedly. “Don’t worry this
will all be over before you know it. It will all come to a painful end for you
soon. I will be the one to finish you off. I’ll drain the rest of the blood out
of your body and I’ll even be nice enough to ship it back to Cullen Manor to
your family. I think it’s the least I could do for you, ya little beast.”
Lacey couldn’t stop the tears as they slowly slid down her cheeks.
“Awww tears for me? Well don’t cry your sorry little
tears for me Renesmee. I’ll be just fine and live on stronger than ever before.
Oh, what was that? Those tears are for your miserable little non-existent life?
You truly are pathetic. Enjoy your ability to breathe because you won’t be able
to for much longer.” Her cackling laugh echoed through the empty halls of the
cellar as her heels clicked on the stairs as she went back upstairs.
'We're getting closer I can feel it.' Jr could feel
Lacey. Her emotions and pain were running through him and acting as a homing
beckon. He knew she was probably within a two or three hundred mile radius. But
he had to hone in on the specific direction.
The pack had come to a stop in a clearing of the woods. They needed a rest and
to catch their breath they'd been running for two days. They knew they were
close to the Washington-Canadian border. Jr knew the
chance that Lacey was being held in Washington still was slim to none. He was
being led towards the Canadian border for a reason.
Paul looked over at his son as he walked over and stood shoulder to shoulder
with his name sake. 'How are you holding up son?'
Jr shook his head negatively as he sighed a deep
breath through his snout. 'Well aside from alienating my pack brothers with my
temper and stubbornness and nearly causing the demise of Seth and Sandra. Plus
disappointing my parents, friends and family and causing my imprint a
monumental amount of pain which could've been avoided. Okay I guess.'
'Jr you didn't disappoint your mother and I. We love
you so much and were both so proud of the man you've become. We both understand
that imprinting threw you for a loop and also realize that it probably wasn't
easy for you to accept that you imprinted on someone that you've initially been
trained to hate and destroy your entire life. We saw what Jacob had to go
through and endure when he imprinted on Lacey's mother. The fact that you
imprinted at all has your mother up in arms. She's practically planned your
entire wedding with Lacey's mother. How many children you two need to have.
They are actually driving me and Jacob nuts.' Paul couldn't help coughing out a
chuckle when he saw russet colored wolf approach them shaking his head.
Jake couldn't help grumbling. He remembered when the pack brought their
imprints/wives to the Cullen's before the pack left to search for Lacey. Gaby
and Nessie hugged and cried together, both women killing him and Paul with
their tears. They were so happy to finally meet and then suddenly their whole
conversation turned to Lacey and Jr. Their future wedding; even how many
grandchildren they wanted them to have.
Jake really didn't want to think about someone from the pack impregnating his
only daughter. As he shook his head again trying to get that thought from his
mind. He'd already known that Jr and Lacey had slept
together, because Seth's enraged thoughts were pretty loud and pissed off at
the same time. Thoughts that Seth was now regretting because his best friend
was missing and he couldn't help but blame himself for it. Had they been on a
talking level, he usually walked her to and from work in Forks, sometimes human
form, sometimes wolf.
'Jr I know I was rough on you, but you have to look
at it from my point of view. Lacey is my only daughter. No I didn't relish the
fact she was imprinted on by a wolf known to have a sketchy temper. Then you
two got a long for what two days? Then suddenly your telling everyone you
imprinted on Sandra and not Lacey and it broke her heart. She cried countless
times because of the pain you inflicted on her. No one ever wants to see their
child sad or hurt. You always want the best for your children. For whatever
reason Nessie seems to think you've changed and against my better judgment I
always go with what my wife says. You seem to have your head on straight now
with Lacey and this whole imprinting debacle. Which is why I'm giving you the
benefit of the doubt and letting you prove that you do belong in this pack and
this family.'
Jr pushed his chest out as he looked Jacob in the
eyes. 'I won't let you down Jake. I promise. I can't afford to let you down.
Lacey is my imprint and she is going to be my wife and the future mother of our
children. And I'll be hanged before I let something happen to her for her to be
taken away from me."
Paul looked between Jake and his son. He was never more proud of his son than
right at that moment. Paul knew it would take Jr a
minute to come to the realization that Lacey was his imprint for a reason. It
was about time he'd realized that all on his own.
'Besides if you screw things up with Lacey ever again and hurt her. I'll send
your mother and my wife after you. Gaby and Nessie are a force to be reckoned
with. And believe me you don't want to have those two come after you. Not after
all the damn planning they've done already.'
Jake chocked out a chuckle as he watched Jr's ear lay
down as he physically and mentally cringed at the thought of his mom being
pissed. That was NEVER a good thing; Paul joined in with Jake's chuckle as they
watched Jr cower at the thought of both moms coming
for him.
Jr stood up straight as he closed his eyes and could
only see nothing but Lacey in his mind. All he could think about was her.
Nothing but her. Her pain and anguish was suddenly flowing through his body
again as his whole body went ridged.
'C'mon we have to get going. I have to find her and soon. Or we may never find
her alive again.'
The wolves all howled out loud as they took off running through the woods again
at top speeds.
Morgan's eyes widened as she heard the howl.
She was suddenly out of time.
And so was Renesmee Cullen.
Chapter 17
Lacey’s head snapped up as she heard Morgan’s heels clicking wildly
as Lacey watcher her rapidly approach the cell she was locked in. Morgan
unlocked the cell door and walked inside as she locked eyes with Lacey. The
wild look in Morgan’s eyes made Lacey nervous…extremely nervous.
Morgan pulled a 6 inch pointed tip dagger out of her knee high heeled boot as
she pushed it against the middle of Lacey’s chest. Not enough to break the
skin, but enough for Lacey to feel how sharp it was.
“Okay Renesmee, unfortunately, my time has been cut short. And fortunately so
has yours. Much to my dismay I won’t be draining the rest of your delectable
life force. Your stupid little mutty friends are
vastly approaching and I suspect that they will reach you at the precise moment
that you bleed out and die. Just about the same time they reach your lifeless
corpse. I’ll be gone. Once again the plan wasn’t followed exactly to the T, but
the outcome is still the same. Revenge for mom and dad is a definite victory
for me.”
Lacey had no idea what Morgan was going to do next, until she felt the dagger
move down over her t-shirt covered ribcage, suddenly the sharp pain radiated
through her chest as she felt Morgan apply pressure to the dagger as it went
between two of her ribs and punctured her lung.
Lacey let out a high pitched scream as Morgan twisted the dagger in her body.
Lacey could feel the blade scrapping against the two ribs it was shoved
between.
Lacey cringed as she watched Morgan pull the dagger out of her and lick her
blood from it. Morgan unlocked the shackles as Lacey’s fell to the floor and clutched
her side trying to stop the blood from pouring out of her body.
“Pity I didn’t get a chance to finish the job; all this warm tasty goodness
going to waste on the floor. See you in hell Renesmee.”
As fast as Morgan had shoved up she disappeared.
Lacey lay on her side looking around the room as she tried to move herself
around and tried to crawl from the cell.
“Help! Please…Someone Help.” Her voice was shaky and full of fear.
Jr could feel it. Something bad had happened to
Lacey. The pain; the tears, he could feel all of it. ‘We have to hurry,
something is wrong with Lacey I can feel it.’
Jake could feel it too as he let out a ferocious growl followed by a long
agonizing howl; which pushed the pack to run faster. When they got to the huge
mansion on the hill overlooking the border between Washington and Canada, Paul
and Jacob jumped through the front windows, enabling the rest of the wolves the
ability to get into the mansion without having to phase back into their human
form.
Paul, Jacob, Seth, and Embry all followed the scent of vampires through the
mansion; as Jr and the Cullen’s searched for Lacey’s
scent throughout the mansion. Jared, Quil, Collin and Brady had stayed behind
for protection.
Jr finally found Lacey’s scent and also caught the
scent of her blood and howled out as he began to follow it. Jr
ran through the halls as fast as his paws would allow him. His overly large
body slid around a corner and busted through a wooden cellar door as he ran
jumped from the top of the stairs to the cellar floor and saw Lacey lying at
the bottom.
Jr scrambled over to her as he nuzzled her side with
his snout trying to get a response from her. Her limp body rolled over onto her
back as he saw her hand fall off her side and blood poured from the wound, he
did the only thing he could think of as his nose pushed up her shirt as he
began to lick and lave the wound, he could only hope that it would slow the
bleeding down.
Carlisle got to the cellar as he saw Jr trying to
slow Lacey’s bleeding down. “Good Job Jr. I’ll take care of her from here. I
promise. I won’t let her go. She’s got plenty of life to live with you.” He
frowned when Jr whined audibly. Jr
backed out of the cell carefully as he phased back to his human form and pulled
his shorts on and then ran to Lacey’s side.
“Tell me she’s still alive Carlisle. Please. What can I do? I need to do
something.”
Carlisle nodded. “She’s still breathing. If you want to help me, I will let
you. Here pull the skin tight, I need to make the stab wound bigger.”
Carlisle moved Jr’s hands in the places he needed
them as he followed his instructions. Jr’s nearly
blackened eyes watched as Carlisle used a scalpel and made the wound larger and
then watched as he took out a plastic tube and carefully inserted it into the
hole and drained the blood that was collecting in her punctured lung. Carlisle
checked her pulse. “This seems to be working pretty good, but it won’t last
forever. We have to get her back to Forks. I can do more for her at our house.”
Jr nodded and watched as Carlisle set up an IV and
also attached an empty IV bag to the tube in her chest and also taped the tube
and bag to her. Carlisle stepped back as he watched Jr
carefully scooped Lacey into his arms and cradle her against his chest. Jr followed Carlisle out of the mansion as Jr looked over and noticed Emmett and Jasper Cullen had a
fire going with more than a few vampire body parts burning to a pile of ash.
Jake saw Lacey lying lifeless in Jr’s arms as it was
his turn to whine. Jr looked Jake right in the eyes
as he nodded to Jake. “Carlisle called and a couple of helicopter’s are on
their way. If you can get everyone phased back and dressed, we can all ride
back with her and Carlisle.
All of the wolves got phased back to their human forms as they dressed quickly
and made it to the clearing behind the mansion as the three helicopter’s
landed. Jake’s intense brown eyes were focused on Lacey as Jr
kept her in his arms as Carlisle continued to work on her. Jake and Jr tried helping Carlisle as much as possible.
Once they all go back to Forks and to the Cullen’s house, Jr
carried Lacey into the house as Carlisle directed him to the medical room he
had set up on the second floor of the Cullen’s Home.
Jake pulled Nessie into his arms as soon as he saw her tears. She’d seen the
shape that Lacey was in and feared for her daughter’s survival. She knew
Carlisle would do everything in his power to help Lacey.
Jake kissed Nessie’s forehead softly. “Don’t worry
Nessie, she’s our daughter, she’s strong like you and stubborn like me.”
Nessie’s tear filled eyes looked up at her husband.
“Jake. What if my strength and your stubbornness isn’t enough for her?”
Luca walked over, he wasn’t allowed to go on the hunt, but he’d been
patrolling. He stood next to his mother. “Mom, you have to believe in Lacey.
She’s the product of a shape shifter and a hybrid vampire. If Lacey and I were
weak we would never have made it to the age we are. You both have to believe. I
believe in my twin. I have to believe in her. She’s my best friend and I don’t
know how to live on without her in my life. So I refuse to believe that she
would give up after coming this far in life.”
Silence was heard through the Cullen house as Carlisle walked downstairs and
stopped in front of the two families; wolf and vampire the numerous sets of
eyes that were staring at him. If he was human it would’ve made him nervous.
But that wasn’t the case as he cleared his throat to make sure he had
everyone’s attention.
Chapter 18
Blackened eyes stared at her body, they scraped over every inch of
her skin, counting and memorizing where every scratch and bite mark was
strategically placed on her once unblemished flesh. He hadn’t left her side
since she’d been brought back to the Cullen’s house.
One Week, Sixteen Hours, Thirty-Five Minutes and Three Seconds.
He could go on forever but what would be the use in that? He’d still be in the
same spot looking at the same thing over and over again. He craved to have her
sit up and argue with him. He loved her quick tongue and even quicker attitude.
Though he knew something would be different between them once she woke up. He
secretly hoped nothing would change.
Two Weeks, Ten Hours, Fifteen Minutes and Forty Seconds.
Remembering back to the night they first, dare he thought made love? Was it
love that they made or was it just very orgasmic sex? No it was definitely a
little bit of both. The touches, the kisses, and the moans that escaped each of
their lips for every move they made in sync. The memories were running on
repeat in his mind. He couldn’t fully admit he loved her at the time, but he
could see himself falling in love with her in the near future.
The near future wasn’t far away for him.
Three Weeks, 1 Hour, Three Minutes and Fifty-Five Seconds.
Then he had to act like an ass. He truly despised himself for the way he
treated her and behaved in front of the others in the pack. Not to mention he
lied. He’d never lied a day in his life and in a matter of 5 seconds he’d
managed to lie to one of his best friends, his family and his pack. But he’d
made things right. A few days after they’d brought Lacey back he’d stood on the
front steps of the Cullen’s porch and apologized verbally to every pack member
for his childish and stupid behavior.
He felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders as his
family re-accepted him into the pack.
But none of it really mattered right now.
Four Weeks, Twenty-Two Hours, Fifty Minutes and Fifty Seconds.
His eyes wondered away from the clock sitting on the table next to her bed that
was draped in clean white linen. He had watched as Rosalie and Alice came in
every morning and cleaned and re-dressed her wounds then as Emmett would lift
her body up they would change the linen on her bed.
She had woken up once three days ago and touched his face so gently, almost
afraid she’d hurt him. She didn’t say a word. He willed her and begged her to
say something – anything. But silence filled his ears as he frowned when her
hand fell limply from his cheek.
Jr walked over and stared out the window. He needed
her to wake up. Even with as much as he was trying to wish and hope her awake,
it just wasn’t happening. His fingers combed through his thick jet black hair.
He couldn’t help wondering if she’d ever comb her fingers through his hair
again. Last time she’d done that he physically relaxed so much he felt like
putty in his own clothing.
Jr turned from the window as he walked over and took
Lacey’s hand into his. Her skin used to be almost as warm as his and now it was
cold to the touch. He could only hope that the more she healed and got better
faster the warmth would return to her skin.
“Hey sweetie, how are you holding up?”
Jr’s eyes turned and watched as his mother walked
into the room. “Okay I guess; given the circumstances.”
Gaby frowned as she watched the saddened look slide across her sons face. She
walked closer as she wrapped her arm around his waist and squeezed him
lovingly. “Don’t give up her Jr. You have changed everything for the good in
your life. You need her and she needs you just as much. You hurt her, but your
hearts can mend each other.”
Jr looked down when he felt his mom touch the middle
of his t-shirt covered chest over his heart. “I can’t give up mom. I just
can’t. I have so much that I have to make up for to her. She deserves someone
who doesn’t have such a foul temper, but I don’t want her with anyone but me.”
Gaby smiled softly at her son. “Your father told me you asked about when he
first imprinted on me.” She frowned as she watched Jr’s
face fall. “I know what your father did was wrong. And yea I still remember
every second of the pain of watching him ignore the imprint. Your father will
admit he made some mistakes. But he’s definitely more than made up for them
honey. You’re father broke my heart a couple of times. So I know how Lacey
felt. It didn’t matter what your father did; I still fell in love with him. And
there isn’t a day that goes by that I will ever regret choosing to accept his
apology. I love your father very much. Just as I love you. You two are the only
men I’ll ever need in my life. Well that and some grandchildren would be nice;
preferably boys.”
“I love you too mom.”
Gaby wrapped her son up in her arms as he leaned down and rested his head on
her shoulder. She ran her fingers through his hair as she whispered encouraging
and loving words in his ear. Gaby kissed her son’s forehead a couple of times
as she pulled away and smiled softly at him. “Try not to worry too much it will
give you worry lines on your forehead and then you really will look like your
father…and it’s already bad enough that you act so much like him.”
Jr couldn’t help let out a chuckle.
Gaby smirked. “Lacey will pull through it. Just keep talking to her, let her
know you’ll be right here waiting for her.” Gaby brushed her lips against Jr's forehead as she left the room. The same room he'd occupied
with Lacey since she'd been brought back four weeks ago.
Paul was standing outside the room when Gaby walked out. He looked in her eyes
and knew she was worried about Jr, he could also feel
the tension in her body. She was about the cry. Paul pushed off from the wall
he'd been leaning against as he gently pulled Gaby into his arms and kissed her
lips softly.
"He's a grown man Gabs. You have to let him be the man we both know he
is."
"I'm just scared Paul. What happens if Lacey can't pull through this? If
she doesn't make it I fear we might lose our son forever. All the questions he
has swimming in his mind right now. He blames himself for every second of her
pain and torture since she'd been abducted and even before that. We both know
he blames himself and he also has the right, because everyone knows it's his
fault. I just don't want to lose him. You and Jr are
the most important people in my life. We can't lose him."
Paul's arms tightened around his wife/imprint. He remembered back to the night
he thought for sure he was going to lose her forever. The pain that radiated
from head to toe, he just knew there was nothing in the world he could do to
make it up to her. He knew exactly how Jr felt right
now. The pain and uncertainty of not knowing if you'll ever become one with
your imprint. The heartache that seems to span through your entire body because
just the thought of your imprint not being in your life literally kills you
inside. You die a little more every day you're not with them. Even if you're
standing in the same room next to each other, if she's made or upset with you,
you feel all of it. And already know there's not a damn thing you can do about
it. You have to suck it up and be a man about it.
You have to say you're sorry. You have to beg for forgiveness. Pledge your
undying and unconditional love for her. You have to say everything you was
scared or too stubborn to say. You have to pick the perfect moment to just lay
it all on the line. If she is the one person you crave to be with, if your body
and heart aches because you're not with her. Then you know without a shadow of
a doubt she's the one who you are supposed to spend all eternity with.
Paul looked down into Gaby's eyes. "I love you Gabs. Jr
isn't going anywhere. Lacey is going to pull through this because she's a
strong imprint, much like her mother and her soon to be mother-in-law. She has
Jake and Nessie's blood running through her. She's
got the best of both worlds to keep her alive and kicking. She's going to sit
up soon and argue with Jr just like he as begged her
too for the last four weeks. Believe me he knows exactly what he has to do to
make things right with her. And when it comes time; he will make us both
proud."
Gaby sagged against Paul's chest as she planted her chin on his chest as her
eyes locked with his. "How can you be so confident?"
Paul smirked as he looked down at her. "He's got an angel for a mother and
a mean ass rebel for a father. We should've known somehow I would come out in
his actions sooner or later. I'm just glad he's also taken after his beautiful
mother and came to his senses before it was too late. You can always take back
the hate and pain if you use the right words."
Paul leaned down and kissed her lips again. "Let's go home. Someone will
call if her condition changes." When Gabby nodded in agreement, he guided
her out of the house.
Four Weeks, Twenty-Three Hours, Fifty-Nine Minutes and Fifty-Nine Seconds.
Soft burnt orange eyes fluttered open as they blinked rapidly to focus and take
in their surroundings. A figure sitting in a chair next to her awakened her a
little more as she studied the face that was so familiar to her.
Her eyes ventured down and saw his russet colored skin next to her slightly tan
skin. His warmth was enveloping her hand. She noticed he was slumped to the
side of the chair in a deep sleep. His arm was propping up his head on the arm
rest.
"Jr."
Chapter 19
When Jr didn’t respond to her, her eyes
wondered down to where her hand was encased by his as she slowly and carefully
freed her hand from his. Bringing her hand up as she gently ran her fingers
through his thick silky black hair.
Jr slowly moved around when he felt someone playing
with his hair slightly and figured it was his mother. Imagine his surprise when
he opened his eyes slowly and Lacey’s smiling face was staring back at him.
“Jr.” Her whisper of his name was soft and sweet.
Jr jumped to his feet as he gently cupped her face.
“Oh thank God you’re awake. How do you feel? Do you need anything? Can I get
anything for you?”
“I think she could tell you if you’d let her answer at least one question.”
Jr’s head snapped around as he saw Jacob and Nessie
standing in the door way. Nessie already had a fresh batch of tears sliding
down her cheeks. Nessie immediately went to Lacey pulling her into a warm
embrace, placing kisses all over her head, trying not to squeeze her daughter
to death.
“Mom.”
Lacey couldn’t help laugh at her mother’s theatrics.
“Mom…Dad do something please.”
Jacob chuckled as he shook his head. “You’ve been out for four weeks, she’s
your mother. You should know she’d react this way.” Jacob walked over as he
leaned down and kissed Lacey’s forehead softly. “C’mon Nessie take it
easy…She’s awake. We have plenty of time to cry all over her and kiss her
relentlessly later. I think Jr would like to speak to
his imprint. Plus we have calls to make to the others in the pack to let them
know she’s awake.” Nessie kissed Lacey one last time as they left the room,
pulling the door closed behind them, giving her and Jr
their privacy.
Lacey watched her parents leave as she carefully sat up, Jr
paced around the room. “What was that about you wanting to talk to your
imprint? I thought Sandra was your imprint.” She watched as Jr
frowned inwardly.
“I deserved that; and so much more.”
“Jr what is going on with you? You’re definitely not
acting like yourself.”
Jr made a cringing sort of face as he looked at
Lacey, but continued to pace the room. He combed his fingers through his hair
rather roughly as he hemmed and hawed around as Lacey tried to decipher his
behavior; after his sixth pass in the room Lacey couldn’t hold her tongue
anymore.
“Jr! For God sake stand still you’re making me dizzy.
And stop doing that to your hair or it’s going to fall out from being so
rough.”
Jr stopped as he walked over and sat on the edge of
the bed facing Lacey. His shaky hand reached up and cupped her cheek. “I’ve
waited for four weeks to say something to you. Everything I wanted to say has
been on the tip of my tongue and now suddenly I have the chance to tell you
everything and yet I can’t think of anything to say to you. Except…I’m sorry.
I’m sorry I was such a bastard to you. I’m completely disgusted by the way I’ve
treated you. And the only thing I can honestly think to say is I’m sorry. I
don’t even know if I can begin to tell you everything I want to say. I don’t
even know if what I say will be enough to fix the damage I’ve caused between
us.”
Lacey smiled softly as she leaned into his hand that was still against her
cheek. “Sometimes not saying anything at all, says everything you need to say.
I think whatever conversations we have from here on out will be able to repair
any damage done. But I want to know the truth. How do you really feel? I need
to know exactly what you’re feeling in here.” Her hand went over his t-shirt
clad chest resting over his heart. She could feel the steady thumping against
the palm of her hand.
Jr took her hand from his chest and softly kissed the
palm of her hand, he eyes locking with hers. “I…I love you Lacey. I’ve loved
you since the day I laid eyes on you. I was stupid and foolish to think I could
ignore the imprint and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t regret every
second of pain I caused you. And if I have to spend the rest of my life making
up for the pain; then I will…And it will be fully worth every second. And if
you’ll have me I want to be your husband; obviously in time, because you’re
probably not ready right now and I have a lot to make up for.”
Lacey blinked as stray tears slid down her cheeks. She’d never thought she’d
ever hear the words ‘I love you’ come from Jr’s lips.
Lacey’s hand came up as her fingers tips brushed against his soft red lips. Jr leaned over and captured her lips.
Lacey’s eyes drifted shut, his lips felt like home.
That was the best way she could describe it. They felt soft and passionate and
familiar. And kissing him just felt right. She felt as though she could kiss
him forever. She couldn’t help but moan as his tongue brushed against hers when
he deepened the kiss. It felt like it was their first kiss all over again. Only
this one felt better than the first one they shared all those months ago.
When they pulled apart they both needed some oxygen. Both panting, Jr watched as her lips trembled slightly from the intensity
of the kiss. He leaned over and kissed her lips softer and a little calmer.
“I would love to be your wife Jr. Whenever you are ready you just let me know
when and where and I’ll meet you there. I’ll be the one at the altar in the
wedding dress and veil. Just don’t forget to let me know.”
“I wouldn’t dream of forgetting to tell you. I love you Lacey…with all my
heart.”
“I love you too Jr.”
With those words spoke Jr couldn’t help himself as he
captured her lips again.
It had been a few days since Lacey had woken up, everyone had come to see her
even Jr's parents Paul and Gaby. Gaby squished her in
a motherly hug and Jr cringed because he had hoped
she wasn't squashing her too hard, Lacey was still getting over some of her
injuries. One look from his father and he knew his mother wouldn't hurt Lacey
on purpose.
Carlisle had made sure when he sewed up her bite marks that their wouldn't be
scars, Jasper had requested that since his arms were littered with bite marks
from newborns. He didn't want Lacey or Jr to have to
bare looking at them for the rest of their lives. They would just be an ugly
reminder of their past and everyone wanted to get past the bad times and get on
with their good days fully of wonderful memories. Until everything was heals,
Lacey wore long sleeves and stayed at the Cullen's. Carlisle wanted to make
sure she was completely healed before allowing her to go anywhere.
Paul and Jacob made Jr go back on patrol, but after
he was finished he was at the Cullen's with Lacey. He wouldn't let her be there
alone. And even though her family was with her, he still couldn't leave her
there by herself. Lacey had been slightly sad because the one person she missed
so much hadn't been to see her yet.
Seth.
She knew eventually he'd come, but she just wished he'd come sooner rather than
later. Jr had gotten off his patrol and was back at
the Cullen's as he was sitting on her bed, he grabbed Lacey when she started to
walk by and pulled her to the bed as he captured her lips. Usually they were
sitting in the window seat.
They had spent countless hours sitting in the window seat. They'd kiss a
little, but mostly she'd lay against his chest and listen to his heart beat.
Running his fingers through her soft hair as her scent infiltrated his senses.
Her soft fingertips would trace the lines on the palms of his hands. She'd
place soft kisses in the middle of his hands. If it was after patrol they moved
to the bed. Lacey knew Jr needed the relaxation.
They laid facing each other as they stole kisses and just relaxed in each
other's arms. Jr captured her lips again in a passion
filled kiss.
"Whoa!"
The familiar deep voice brought Lacey and Jr's moving
lips at a standstill as they pulled apart. That voice was awfully familiar as
Lacey looked over and saw Seth standing in the doorway. She couldn't read the
look on his face. Jr stood from the bed as he let out
a deep menacing growl. Jr calmed down when he felt a
hand on his forearm, he looked down and saw Lacey chewing her bottom lip.
"Can you give us a minute...Please."
Jr frowned, he knew exactly why her and Seth had been
fighting. Mostly because his angry thoughts were pretty loud when they were in
wolf form. Sighing heavily he nodded and reluctantly left the room.
Lacey stood up as she faced Seth. Seth cleared his throat as he tried to think
of the words he wanted to say. He opened and closed his mouth several times
trying to make the words come out, but for some reason he couldn't form the
words. Here he was standing looking at his best friend. The last time he'd seen
her he had been so mean to her and the hateful words that poured from his mouth.
Since then she'd been abducted and tortured and in a coma for four weeks. All
he had to do was say he was sorry and he couldn't get those two simple words
out.
Seth's eyes widened when Lacey threw her arms around him. He couldn't stop
himself as he wrapped his arms around his best friend. "I'm so sorry
Lacey. I never stopped for a minute to think what you've been going through
since he imprinted on you because I was too wrapped up in being too scared to
tell Sandra I had imprinted on her. I should've just been a man about it and
told her. To make matters worse I said those terrible things to you and I
should've just done what I was best at. Supporting my best friend."
Lacey shook her head negatively as she held onto Seth. "I don't care
anymore Seth. You're my best friend and all I need is you." She couldn't
let him go. He could feel her body shaking against his.
"You're letting me off the hook way to easily here. I know Jr wants to eat me alive."
"I do not care. You've been my best friend since birth. As long as I have
you in my life in some capacity then I can get over the bad stuff. I've missed
you so much."
"I missed you too Lace."
It was definitely nice having everyone back in her life that was supposed to be
there.
Chapter 20
Everyone has special moment in their life they never want to forget.
For some it's the first time the man of your dreams telling you he loves you
three minutes after you were just married.
For other's it's the element of surprise; when your new bride turns to you and
tells you she's having your baby and suddenly it's her wedding gift to you.
So you spend the next nine months preparing for the second biggest day of your
life.
Becoming a mother and father. More importantly becoming a family.
Pledging and promising extensively to never be like your parents. When the big
day comes and you are both their to witness the birth of not one but two
children. You check them over and make sure they have ten toes, ten fingers,
two arms, two legs...Then you both realize...there is a daughter...and a son.
Suddenly you both realize it doesn't matter what your parents did or didn't
do...you're going to love both of your children because that's exactly what
you're parents did. They asked no questions and passed no judgments and loved
you unconditionally.
So you sit back with your significant other and watch as you're children grow.
Days turn into weeks, and months follow the weeks as the years begin to slip
by. Before you know it you're sitting in the sand at the beach five years later
and you watch as the father of your children chase your son and daughter around
growling at them as they squeal and run for their lives. You can't help but
laugh and know...If you had to live your life over there is nothing about it
that you would change.
**************************
It's a change...that reaches down and suddenly lifts you
At the end...of a rainy day when you sat alone and cried
It's a sign...that lets you know there is a life awaiting
The day...you make your peace with the love in you that died
When the pain dies down
And the dam becomes a river
The fire burns out under the rain
Can you feel it now
It's gone from you forever
Fading out under the rain
**************************
Lacey looked around the bonfire and saw how many lives had changed in the last
five years. Embry and Leah had finally had their first baby sweetly named
Leila. Embry had never been so happy, he couldn't help naming Leila partially
after Leah, because when he looked into his daughters
eyes, all he saw was Leah. They were currently working on their second baby.
Leah was nearing her fifth month and couldn't stop the pregnancy glow that
enveloped her.
Her brother Luca had imprinted on Brady's daughter Melody. She came home from college
one weekend and that was pretty much it. They were engaged to be married during
the summer and couldn't wait.
Aunt Claire and Uncle Quil's daughter Amber was
sixteen now and was starting to understand why Collin was such a close friend
of the family. He'd imprinted on her the day after she was born and Quil had
nearly phased in the hospital and taken his head off if it hadn't been for
Claire scolding him and sweetly reminding him about what age she was when he
had imprinted on her.
Lacey's dad was still the alpha, but had said once Luca got married he was
going to hand the alpha position down to his son. He was ready to hand it over
and just spend as much time with their mother as possible.
Sam, Jared and Paul had all stopped phasing. Their children had joined the pack
and were doing the patrolling now. Sam's sons Jonathan and Bryan were pretty
big and had imprinted already. Of course Jared's daughter was married to Seth.
But his two sons hadn't imprinted yet but they were younger than Sandra, and
were just starting to patrol. Luca had taken them under his wings and taught
them everything he'd known.
"Lacey...Hey Lace."
Lacey blinked out of her thoughts as she looked over at Sandra, Seth's wife and
one of Jr's childhood friends.
"You look like you're deep in thought."
Seth nodded as his arms tightened around his wife. "Yea...Penny for your
thoughts Lace?"
Lacey smiled softly. "Just thinking. Nothing in particular really. Just
memories replaying in my mind."
Sandra excused herself to go help her mother and Emily with food. As Seth moved
closer to Lacey and nudged her with his elbow slightly to get her attention
again. Noticing her eyes had wondered back over to her husband and twins.
"What gives Lace? You're concentration seems to be anywhere but here
tonight."
Lacey smiled as she looked back over to Seth as she leaned over and kissed his
cheek softly. "I just have a few things on my mind tonight. I need to talk
with Jr. Can you watch your God children for me for a few minutes?"
Seth nodded not sure what else to say or think. Lacey wasn't acting like
herself and Seth couldn't imagine what was going on with her. "Sure Lace.
I don't mind."
Seth watched as Lacey stood brushing the same from her blue capris,
she walked over to where her twin five year olds were larking about in the sand
with their father.
"Momma! We caught daddy and were gonna bury him...He said we could."
"That's nice sweetie." Lacey squatted down as she winked at Jr, she brushed her lips across the forehead of her son
Evan and then her daughter Erin. "Hey you guys dinner is ready why don't
you go see Uncle Seth and Aunt Sandra, so they can fix your plates."
"Okay momma."
Lacey watched as Evan stood up and grabbed Erin's hand and they walked over to
where Seth was. Seth gave a wave letting her know they got to him and he would
take over from there.
**************************
Like a train...That takes its time pulling out of the station
It's a dream...that comforts you in the middle of the night
It's a song...that carries you to a better emotion
And now...Now you know it's going to be alright
When the pain dies down
And the dam becomes a river
The fire burns out under the rain
Can you hear me now?
A simple conversation
Fading out under the rain
**************************
Jr sat up as he looked at his beautiful wife.
"What's going on? Don't you think I know something is wrong?"
Lacey shook her head negatively. "Nothing's wrong. Everything's
right."
"You're not making any sense beautiful. Can you clarify what is not wrong
and what is right?"
They walked in silence for a minute before Jr pulled
Lacey into his arms and was suddenly aware of how tired she looked. He brushed
a strand of hair out of her face. "Is everything okay? You looked really
tired."
Sighing softly, Lacey pushed up on her toes kissing his lips softly. "I am
really tired. But it's a good tired."
Jr frowned as he pursed his lips together. "How
can it be a good tired? How does anyone feel a good tired?"
Lacey smiled. "I just do. I guess it's just me. So I'm not normal. I'm a
hybrid vampire married to a wolf. What the hell is normal now a days?
Personally I think normal is overrated."
Jr smirked as he pulled her closer to his body.
"Baby normal has been overrated since I first laid eyes on you."
"Completely overrated." She moaned against his lips when he kissed
her again. She reluctantly pulled her lips from his, because honestly she could
kiss him all night long and some nights that's exactly what they did once the
kids were in bed. "I need to tell you something."
"Tell me what?" Jr's worried look returned
to his face as he tightened his arms around her. He felt her take his hand and
place it over her stomach.
"I'm tired because in 7 months our family of four will be a family of
five...Or possibly six." It was her turn to wear the worried look on her
face. They honestly hadn't discussed having more kids, because they'd been so
happy with Evan and Erin and the subject just never came up.
Jr stared bewildered into her eyes. He couldn't
believe they were going to add onto their family. Suddenly he couldn't keep the
smirk off his beautiful red lips as he crushed his lips to hers, clutching
every part of her soul to his.
**************************
The past is there behind you
And nothing is forever
Dancing on the river again
da da da
da da da
la da da da da
la da da da da da
dum
la da da da da da
daa
When the pain dies down
And the dam becomes a river
The fire burns out under the rain
Can you feel it now?
It's gone from you forever
Fading out turning away
When the pain dies down....
**************************
A little too early for either of their liking they pulled away panting and
breathless. "Five, six, seven; I don't care however many you give me I'll
take them all. God I love you Lacey. How did you ever accept me? How did you
ever get through my temper to get to me? I had to of caused you so much
pain."
Lacey's hand over his lips effectively silenced him as she smiled softly.
"We fight and argue just like every couple and yea we said hurtful things.
But when the pain dies down the love is still and always will be there."
Jr was indisputably aware that he wasn't sure of
anything the future would hold for them. Only one thing was definitely
consistent; his love for Lacey and their children.
That was the way it was always going to be.
The End